Children who have a resistant (ambivalent) attachment pattern are thought to maintain proximity to their caregiver by 'up-regulating' their attachment behaviour: when they are separated from a caregiver, they may become very distressed and may be angry, and resist contact when the caregiver returns, and not quickly ...
Insecure–avoidant is seen when young children respond to stress by not seeking, or actively avoiding, help from their caregiver. Insecure–resistant attachment is characterized by the young child who can signal his distress but has great difficulty getting effective comfort from the caregiver.
Infants with insecure/resistant attachment are extremely distressed by the separations and cannot be soothed at reunions, essentially displaying much distress and angry resistance to interactions with the caregiver, which occurs in 8% of the general population (9).
Three signs that a person has insecure attachment include the inability to engage in intimacy, struggling to form healthy relationships with others, and unpredictable or inconsistent behavior with loved ones.
It is felt that insecure-resistant attachment is related to insensitive parenting that is inconsistent. This can be because parents are intrusive, not aware of what the specific needs are of a child at a given moment, or insensitively ignore or misread infant cues [4, 6].
Insecure attachment itself may contribute to anxiety, but insecurely attached children also are more likely to have difficulties regulating emotions and interacting competently with peers, which may further contribute to anxiety.
Definitions. Insecure attachment : An individual relationship can be insecure when it contains elements of mistrust together with anxious or avoidant elements and lacks a secure base. It is considered a dysfunctional relationship.
The four S's of a secure attachment style refer to feeling safe, seen, soothed, and secure. Making children feel these ways may help them establish healthy bonds in their adulthood. Attachment style theory is a psychological framework originally developed by John Bowlby and Mary Ainsworth.
Insecure children, particularly those with an avoidant classification, tend to exhibit minimal emotional expressiveness overall, and particularly restrain the expression of negative emotions.
1.2. Insecure avoidant attachment. Children who develop an 'avoidant' attachment pattern are thought to maintain proximity to their caregiver by 'down-regulating' their attachment behaviour: they appear to manage their own distress and do not strongly signal a need for comfort.
Effects of insecure attachment
Children who have attachment issues can have difficulty forming healthy relationships when they grow up. This may be because their experiences have taught them to believe that other people are unreliable or untrustworthy (Bowlby, 1997)15.
Trouble showing or feeling their emotions. Discomfort with physical closeness and touch. Accusing their partner of being too clingy or overly attached. Refusing help or emotional support from others.
What causes insecure attachment? Insecure attachment oftentimes stems from childhood and is formed from caregiver-child relationships. Adults who deal with insecure attachment often lacked consistency, support, and reliability during childhood.
Adolescents with insecure attachment to parents are more likely to engage in risky behaviours, present behavioural problems, and experience difficulties with emotional regulation, such as impulsivity [26,27,28].
Adults with an avoidant-dismissive insecure attachment style are the opposite of those who are ambivalent or anxious-preoccupied. Instead of craving intimacy, they're so wary of closeness they try to avoid emotional connection with others. They'd rather not rely on others, or have others rely on them.
When children have a secure attachment style, they show distress when their caregiver leaves the room, but they quickly settle and compose themselves when their caregiver returns. Children with a secure attachment style feel protected by their caregivers and that they can depend upon them.
Attachment trauma is associated with developing insecure attachment styles. Children who have experienced attachment trauma may experience emotional disorders, such as emotional dysregulation, and may struggle with relationships as they get older.