Research shows that the attachment style adopted during childhood influences attachment patterns in romantic relationships. Attachment styles are categorized into four. They include secure, ambivalent, avoidant, and disorganized styles. This means that a child’s relationship with the parent or caregiver is significant. For instance, a securely attached child grows up to believe in endurance for the sake of love. An avoidantly attached child may view love as distant and temporal as an adult. Also, an ambivalently attached child will likely grow up to fall in love frequently. This shows how early attachment styles impact adulthood behavior patterns.
Exploring The Concept Of Attachment
Attachment can be defined as affection, fondness, or sympathy for someone or something. At early stages, children form a bond with their parents or caregivers. This bond goes on to formulate that child’s view of relationships and life in general.
Sigmund Freud’s theory on love spurred the research on attachment. However, John Bowlby is known as the father of attachment theory today. Bowlby described attachment as a lasting psychological connectedness between human beings. JB further revealed childhood experiences contribute largely to development and future behavior.
Attachment Styles And Their Characteristics
Verywell Mind highlights the four attachment styles and how they affect connecting with people in adulthood. It is noteworthy that childhood attachment may mirror adult romantic attachment. However, research has only proven that early attachment style can help formulate adulthood behavioral patterns. See below for attachment styles and their characteristics.
Ambivalent Attachment
This type of early attachment involves a child having conflicting feelings towards the caregiver. Such kids show discomfort when separated from their parents. However, when the parent or caregiver returns, the child may not be comforted still. The child may go on to antagonize the parent.
Research shows that this attachment style is uncommon in the U.S. Children with an ambivalent attachment style may grow up to be distant from others. They also doubt their partner’s love for them but become devastated when the relationship ends.
Avoidant Attachment Style
This style stems from a period of absence by the parents. Such children tend to avoid parents or caregivers. When the absent parent is back, the child may not reject the attention from the parent like the ambivalent one. However, the child is not looking out for that comfort or attention.
Such children grow up to have intimacy issues and almost zero emotions in relationships. Also, such individuals find it hard to communicate or share thoughts with others. These are the ones that grow up to be okay with one-night stands or casual sex as adults.
Disorganized Attachment Style
Children in this category display ambiguous attachment behavior. Their response to most situations is mixed, including avoidance or resistance. This behavior is a result of parents’ inconsistency. Adults with a disorganized attachment style may pursue a loving relationship, but then abruptly distance themselves. They often undermine their relationships as adults and struggle to trust their partners.
Secure Attachment Style
This is the best type of attachment. Studies show that children with secure attachment tend to be more compassionate with time. They are also characterized as being less disruptive, less aggressive, and more emotionally mature compared to those with ambivalent or avoidant attachment styles. Adults in this category have good self-esteem, seek social support, and share feelings with partners and friends. They also have good and lasting relationships.
Is It Possible To Change Your Attachment Style?
Attachment patterns may seem fixed, but they can be changed. Rachel Goldberg, a marriage and family Therapist, revealed that attachment styles can happen at any stage of life. To buttress her point, she gave an example. According to her, a child with secure attachment can change if the caregiver suddenly dies, or a special needs kid enters the picture.
In other words, it is possible to change attachment styles due to unique life events/ experiences. The attachment change can be from secure to insecure and vice versa. Some factors also influence the change of these styles. They include relationships, self-awareness, trauma, and learning skills.
Final Thoughts
Attachment styles are not fixed and as such, can evolve. We may even experience different styles with various people. This is influenced by how they treat us and our interactions with them. Transitioning from an insecure individual to a secure one is possible when we practice self-compassion and connect with positive-minded individuals.
#Clique, what are your thoughts?
