The article I've chosen to summarize is Attachment Disorder: An Emerging Concern For School Counsellors. The main points of the article will be reviewed in my own words, and then I will give my own point of view of the article's ideas. Finally, I will discuss the implications the article has on the field of child and youth care practice. .
The importance of the bonding process (or attachment) is not a new found idea, however the article suggests that it is recently becoming a main concern and consideration for many of the difficulties that children and adults are facing. With parents spending less time at home and more time working, a high rate of divorce, educational cutbacks and reorganization, and daycare issues, the importance of understanding the attachment process is vital. If a child does not develop a secure attachment he may develop mistrust, innate anger, and have little or no conscience. The article goes on to list a number of symptoms, which can include all or some of the following: .
Lack of ability to give and receive affection.
Superficial friendliness with strangers.
Obsession with blood, fire, and gore.
Cruelty to others, especially pets.
Irregular eye contact.
Unusual speech patterns.
Obsessive lying.
Stealing, hoarding, and gorging.
Lack of long-term friends.
Extreme control issues.
The article states that Bowlby is the father of attachment theory, which developed through experience and knowledge of his own as well as from several others, such as Freud, Harlow, and Piaget. Bowlby's theory, stated within the article, is that within every human there is an in-born need for social interaction, which is usually focused on one or two people. This need is best obtained through physical contact with an adult. The infant uses signals or seeks-out, by crying or smiling, when seeking proximity to a specific adult. The way in which the adult responds to these signals will determine the amount and strength of the attachment.
