What
is
attachment?
continued
In the
mental
health
field,
“attachment”
is used
more
loosely
and has
come to
reflect
the
global
capacity
to form
relationships.
For the
purposes
of this
course,
attachment
capabilities
refer to
the
capacity
to form
and
maintain
an
emotional
relationship
while
attachment
refers
to the
nature
and
quality
of the
actual
relationship.
A child,
for
example,
may have
an
"insecure"
attachment
or a
"secure"
attachment.
As
we study
the
nature
of
early,
emotional
connections,
we are
finding
out how
important
they can
be for
the
future
development
of the
child.
Indeed,
many
researchers
and
clinicians
feel
that the
maternal-child
attachment
provides
the
working
“template”
for all
subsequent
relationships
that the
child
will
develop.
A solid
and
healthy
attachment
with a
primary
caregiver
appears
to be
associated
with a
high
probability
of
healthy
relationships
with
others.
Poor
attachment
with the
mother
or
primary
caregiver
appears
to be
associated
with a
host of
emotional
and
behavioral
problems
later in
life.
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