Attachment Styles

Attachment styles.

We have seen it happen many times. A child crying at the door to the school or classroom, refusing to go in or leave their parent. We call this phenomenon separation anxiety. But to see a child crying may be a positive sign; it shows the child has a secure attachment style to the parent.

The attachment theory focuses on the importance of safe and secure caregivers to individuals, and as they move to different stages of life, these relationships continue to transform, and a strong attachment empowers them to confidently approach the environment, deal with stress, and promote strength and growth (McLeod, 2025). Thus, a child will be comfortable being in the classroom when the parent is around, even daring to explore the learning environment. But the moment the parent leaves, the child may start to cry.

Bowlby describes attachment styles as the following: Secure, anxious, avoidant, and fearful. A child with a secure attachment has a positive relationship with the caregiver, and will interact with them more than with strangers, whereas a child with an anxious attachment is uncertain of the caregiver’s unpredictable responses, while a child with an avoidant attachment will avoid any interaction with the caregiver, and lastly a child with a fearful or disorganised attachment may turn to a stranger for comfort. (McLeod, 2025).

The attachment style also affects how the child grows and develops. Studies have shown that children with abuse or neglect show antisocial behaviour even when they are adolescents, with drug usage being a common factor in child abuse cases, where abused children show more acts of aggression towards others, whereas children with secure attachments show little fear in new situations, have better problem-solving skills, build better relationships with others, and have better cognition (Finzi, Cohen, Sapir, & Weizman, 2000). These support figures help crying children to become stable, and it is the caregivers who offer the best responses, rather than the time spent with the children, that the children themselves form strong attachments towards (McLeod, 2025).

Most of the physically abused children tend to have avoidant attachment styles and are at risk of antisocial behaviour, and may face challenges in trusting others, whereas most of the neglected children have an anxious attachment style, and may withdraw and feel incompetent about themselves (Finzi, Cohen, Sapir, & Weizman, 2000). Hence, early childhood is not just a phase of life; it is the foundation of an individual.

References

Finzi, R., Cohen, O., Sapir, Y., & Weizman, A. (December, 2000). Attachment Styles in Maltreated Children: A Comparative Study. Child Psychiatry and Human Development, 31(2), 113-128. doi:https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1001944509409

McLeod, S. (20 May, 2025). Attachment Theory In Psychology. Retrieved from Simply Psychology: https://www.simplypsychology.org/attachment.html

Do follow me on my various social media platforms and check out my Etsy shop!

Etsy | TikTok | Facebook | Pinterest | YouTube | Linktree | Itch.io