Concepts of Attachment Theory

One of the main aims of the assessment is to support parents to understand the basic concepts of Attachment Theory, and how the concepts can help them gain a better understanding of their relationship with their child/ren. It is believed that creating an informed understanding of the concepts helps parents to become more sensitive and attuned to their child/ren's needs, and enables them to better understand how they can increase the safety within the relationship(s).

Internal Working Models

Bowlby explained that by creating memories and templates of how relationships work, we develop ‘Internal Working Models’ to make predictions about future experiences based on what has happened in the past (Golding, 2008). For example, an individual who did not receive emotional warmth and affection from their parent(s) when they were a child, may grow up to believe that they are not worthy of love or affection.

Secure Base

A central feature of Bowlby’s theory of attachment was the concept of a 'Secure Base'. When a child has a 'Secure Base', they feel confident to venture into and explore the outside world, knowing that on their return they will be welcomed back, nourished physically and emotionally, comforted if distressed, and reassured if frightened.

As children grow older, venturing steadily further from their base and for increasing spans of time, the more confident they are that their base is secure. This sense of security, and the knowledge that it will be ready to respond if called upon, the more a child can take it for granted (Bowlby, 1988).

Safe Haven

A 'Safe Haven' refers to the physical distance required to make a child feel safe. For a young baby, this could be through skin-to-skin contact, and for a toddler, it may be them having visual contact with their parent/caregiver.

If a child perceives their parent/caregiver as a 'Safe Haven', when feeling stressed, overwhelmed, and/or unsafe, the child knows they can return to their parent/caregiver to receive comfort and protection.

Mentalization

Mentalization, also known as Reflective Functioning (RF), refers to the psychological processes underlying the capacity to understand oneself and others in terms of mental states such as feelings, beliefs, intentions, and desires. It involves both self-reflection and an interpersonal component, enabling individuals to distinguish between inner and outer reality, pretend and real modes of functioning, and intrapersonal and interpersonal processes. This developmental skill allows individuals to interpret behaviour in terms of underlying mental states, making actions meaningful and predictable (Fonagy et al, 1998).

There are significant benefits for a child when a parent/caregiver is able to mentalize. This includes mentalization helping a parent’s/caregiver's capacity to understand their child’s behaviour in terms of underlying mental states like thoughts, feelings, beliefs, and intentions, as well as playing a crucial role in the child’s emotional and social development (Rossouw et al, 2021).

"Life is best organised as a series of daring adventures from a secure base"

John Bowlby