The Science of Attachment Parenting

"Attachment parenting," or AP, is an approach to child-rearing intended to forge strong, secure attachments between parents and children.

For many parents, this approach feels intuitive. And anthropological research suggests that practices associated with AP -- such as baby-wearing and co-sleeping -- have deep roots in our evolutionary past

But does AP contribute to better child outcomes?

Not surprisingly, it depends on your definition of "attachment parenting."

If we use the definition first proposed by William and Martha Sears, 

then "attachment parenting" is essentially another term for "sensitive, 

responsive parenting." 

Among other things, it appears to protect children from the effects of toxic stress

helping children develop resilience in the face of adversity. It may also reduce a 

child's risk of developing behavior problems, and promote the development of

 moral reasoning.

Attachment parenting in its original formulation: What does it look like?

According to William and Martha Sears, attachment parenting is associated with a range of practices and approaches, including 

·   the frequent holding and carrying of infants ("baby-wearing"),

·   breastfeeding,

·   the avoidance of strictly-timed,adult-imposed feeding schedules,

·   nurturing touch (including skin-to-skin "kangaroo care" for infants),

·   being responsive to a baby's cries,

·   being sensitive and responsive to a child's emotions (e.g., by helping him or    her cope with nighttime fears), and

·   co-sleeping (e.g., infants sleeping in the same room with caregivers, or young siblings sharing a bedroom).

In addition, care-givers may attempt handle misbehavior through techniques  sometimes identified as "positive discipline." These may include distracting or redirecting very young children; providing patient, timely reminders; emotion-coaching; reasoning;including empathy; and using language that motivates kids to bounce back from mistakes. 

What's the scientific case for attachment parenting?

Advocates of attachment parenting make two major claims:

1. sensitive, responsive parenting leads kids to form secure attachments, and

2. securely-attached kids are healthier and happier

Links between attachment parenting practices and secure attachment

Several aspects of responsive parenting have been associated with the development of secure attachments.These include:  

 ·  High-quality communication. A study of Dogon mothers in Mali found that the quality of communication between mother and infant was associated with more secure attachment relationships. 

· Maternal sensitivity during infant play. A study of premature infants reports that infants whose mothers were unresponsive or more controlling during playtime were more likely to be insecurely-attached. Securely-attached infants were more likely to have mothers who were sensitive to their children's' interests and needs.

· Insight into a child's mental and emotional states. A study of mothers and their 12 month old infants reports that mothers who showed greater insight about their babies' psychological experiences were rated as more sensitive and were more likely to have securely-attached infants. Another study reports that mothers who showed a more accurate understanding of their infants' mental states at 6 months were more likely to have securely-attached infants at 12 months.

· Sensitivity to an infant's distress. A study analyzing data collected by National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) reports that American mothers who showed greater sensitivity to their infants' distress at 6 months were more likely to have securely attached toddlers at 15 months . By contrast, infants are more likely to develop insecure attachments when mothers "close up their faces" -- looking away from the baby, and failing to respond with sympathetic facial expressions.

· Baby-wearing. An experimental study randomly assigned American mothers of low socioeconomic status to either wear their newborns in soft baby carriers or to carry their babies in portable infant seats. At 13 months, babies in the soft-carrier group were more likely to be securely-attached to their mothers.

· Emotional availability. Research suggests a link between secure attachment and emotional availability—being open to discuss emotions, and being ready to respond sensitively and appropriately to the emotions of others. An Israeli study observed mothers interacting with their infants and found that moms rated as more emotionally available were more likely to have securely attached children.