Attachment Theory and Its Contribution to the Understanding of the Process of Mourning and Bereavement - Coursework Example

Name: Tutor: Title: Attachment Theory and its contribution to the understanding of the process of mourning and bereavement Course: Date: Attachment Theory and its contribution to the understanding of the process of mourning and bereavement Introduction Mourning and bereavement is considered as a process in psychology that individuals go through as a result of incurring a loss. Grief on the other hand is a reaction that comprises a variety of feelings, emotions, thoughts and behaviors that each individual experiences in a different way in that is unique to their personality, the type of relation to the loss and the cultural background of the individual experiencing the loss. Grief is therefore considered as a process of healing that an individual undergoes whenever a loss occurs (Harvey and Miller 2000). Cultural background also plays a crucial role in the understanding of the grief process. In some cultures rituals and ceremonies are usually performed in order to acknowledge the pain of loss and offering an individual social support in the process of mourning and grief. The level of attachment between the bereaved and the deceased also plays a crucial role in the process of mourning and bereavement. The stronger the bonds formed the harder the acceptance of the reality and the eventual loss that an individual is experiencing. Mourning and bereavement is considered as a process and therefore takes time for a bereaved individual to heal and accept the loss. Most psychologists argue that the process of mourning and bereavement involves the situation whereby an individual has to deal with both emotional and physical pain that accompanies the loss of a loved one. The paper therefore aims at evaluating the attachment theory and its contribution to understanding the process of mourning and bereavement with relevant to specific types of losses in relation to the different theories of mourning and bereavement (Payne et.al, 2000). Types of Losses and cultural attitudes and practices Generally feelings of loss are regarded as being personal to individual. Therefore dealing with a significant type of loss is dependent on factors such as the relationship between the individual and the loss. The most common types of losses include loss of a loved one that may include a parent, baby or spouse through the natural means of death, the loss of health through a terminal illness or loss of an individual’s cherished dream. Loss can either be sudden or predictable. In sudden types of losses the individual becomes overwhelmed since the loss was not anticipated. The sudden types of losses are in most cases accompanied by shock and despair whereby the bereaved individual finds it hard to come into terms with reality. This usually leads to the individual denial to accept the reality of the loss and feels that there was something that they could have done to avert the loss. Sudden losses may occur as a result of crime or accidents among other factors (Murray-Parkes, 2000). Predictable types of losses prepare the individuals of an eventual loss. In such type of losses the individual is prepared psychologically such that when the loss occurs it is easier to come into terms with reality and acceptance of the situation. This loss may result due to prolonged illness where the individual is prepared psychological of an eventual loss. Hence the type of loss experienced by an individual will highly depend on the duration the mourning will take and how an individual will be able to successfully cope with the loss eventually. Traditionally the society helps individuals on how to cope with a loss of a loved one. In some societies burial ceremonies that encompass the performance of certain rituals is conducted and social and emotional support offered to the bereaved individuals (Walter, 1999). Attachment Theory in relation to the process of mourning and bereavement The attachment theory was initially developed by John Bowlby (Bowlby, 2005) in his attempts to comprehend the anguish displayed by infants during their separation with their parents. The infants displayed feeling of crying and clinging in a bid to prevent separation from their parents. Therefore the attachment bonds between the infants and the parents are formed over time and the infant will try to avoid the separation through a display of certain emotional distress features. In the early stages of life the first attachments the infant forms is with the parent mainly the mother figure or the caregiver. Such attachments become strong so that the infant will try to prevent separation from the source of attachment. The infant will therefore display distress features such as crying and clinging to the source of attachment (Bowlby, 1998). The attachment between the infant and the parent or caregiver is as a result of a long term interaction process. He further argues that it is due to the strong bonds formed during the attachment process that leads to separation anxiety between the infant and the mother. The infant displays the feeling of anxiety and despair in the process of separation with the mother or caregiver that is termed as the separation anxiety. Infants form specific attachments to individuals within their surroundings but during their process of growth form multiple forms of attachment (Bowlby, 2005). Bowlby suggests that generally children come into the world when they are biological arranged to create and form attachments with other individuals that forms part of their survival tactics. Therefore in the process the infant generates some form of innate behavior that involves crying or smiling that is aimed at stimulating responses from adults or caregivers. Bowlby suggests that children will originally engage in one principal attachment that will act as secure base in exploring the world. The attachment will therefore act as a model for future relationships. He further argues that as children grow into adulthood several forms for attachments are formed for survival reasons (Bowlby, 2005).These forms of attachments may be presented in the form of unions for instance in marriage. Spouses through the love bonds created over a period of time form long lasting attachments for the purpose of companionship. Therefore attachment is viewed as lasting psychological connectedness that exists between human beings within a given period of time. Attachment forms part of the learned behavior and it does not necessarily have to be reciprocal (Bowlby, 1998). Bowlby argues that the sense of attachment occur during the early stages in life. These attachments are formed for the sole purpose of offering security and survival to individuals. Therefore affectionate bonds are formed between specific individuals which are the main objective of the attachment behaviour. Whenever these affection bonds are lost there is usually the feeling of anguish and emotional disorder that leads to anxiety and resentment. The loss of the affectionate bonds may occur as a result of sudden death of a loved one for instance a spouse or parent (Bowlby, 2005). The emotions displayed by an individual are referred to as the mourning process. In relation to attachment and loss Bowlby argues that the state of bereavement occurs from the loss of an object of attachment although the loss may not be necessarily confined to death. The nature and style of attachment is mainly influenced from severity and the duration period of the grief process. Thus a dependent type of attachment may lead to a chronic mode of grief (Holmes, 1993). The state of separation may be depicted in three stages that an individual may display. First the individual may protest due to confusion and fright. In cases of grief the individual may cry a lot as a result of the grief being experienced. This may rise to the feeling of despair whereby the individual becomes less active and display a feeling of hopelessness. After the feeling of despair an individual may form defense mechanism that may help in coping with the loss and also the healing process that is essential in an occurrence of a death of a loved one (Stroebe et.al. 2000). The attachment theory according to Bolwby posits several stages that an individual undergoes in the process of mourning and bereavement. The initial phase involves a state of numbness that comprises the individual being in a state of shock and denial of the reality that has presented itself. For instance an individual may deny the death of a loved as a result of the shock being experienced. Thereafter the grief phase sets in and a bereaved individual undergoes the sobbing and crying that may culminate into loss of appetite, irritability, tension and anxiety. A bereaved individual may also feel a sense of guilt in that they blame themselves for the death that has occurred. The disorganization phase is whereby a bereaved individual feels a sense of despair and hopelessness. This phase is usually characterized by the experience of a low mood and a sense of disorganization. The last phase according to Bowlby involves the re-organization phase whereby the loss begins to register into the individual’s mind. Thus it involves letting go of the attachment through the acceptance of the death that has occurred and focusing in future prospects through investment in the future (Bowlby, 1998). In relation to the mourning and bereavement theories Sigmund Freud is considered as a pioneer of the study of the process of mourning. In his theory he regards mourning and grieving as a process through which a bereaved individual makes an effort to adjust to the reality of experiencing the loss of a loved one. Hence in relation to attachment and loss the Freudian view is that psychic energy is usually devoted in human relations together with memories and associations. Thus Freud believed that the more important a relationship is the more energy is invested in such associations. Whenever a relationship is lost the invested energy becomes dormant and in the process pain is produced. Therefore mourning begins as a retrieval of the invested energy and loss is compensated through a process of identification. The process of mourning is therefore viewed as attempts by the inner world through the experience of extreme pain of loss that rekindles the loving affect of the deceased. The process of mourning and bereavement is letting go of the formed associations between the deceased and the bereaved. Finally when the loss is accepted according to Freud the ego is said to accommodate the loss that has been experienced and allow the bereaved to search for new forms of attachments (Worden, 2009). Therefore the attachment theory forms the basis of most mourning and bereavement theories in that both theories accept the element of attachment in the process of mourning and bereavement. The extent of the attachment between the bereaved and the deceased will determine the duration of time and how individuals will be able to perceive an eventual loss. Both Bowlby and Freud acknowledge the fact that human beings form attachment in life and once the attachments have been broken an individual goes through the process of mourning as a result of the separation. These attachment are made over time and therefore the stronger the attachment the greater the perceived loss and the prolonged the mourning period (Stroebe et.al. 2000). Another major theory of mourning and bereavement is the Kubler-Ross grief cycle. The theory posits that there are several phases that an individual has to undergo in the process of mourning and bereavement. Thus the theory came up with five major phases that aid an individual in the mourning process. Unlike the stages of mourning in the attachment theory that an individual has to follow one after the other the Kubler grief cycle these stages do not follow each other linearly and in some case individuals do not have to undergo through each stage as some stages may be left out in the process. Therefore Kluber argues that for individuals to undergo the mourning process successful these stages have to be followed but not necessarily in a sequence (Kubler-Ross, 1997). Evaluation of the strengths and limitations of theories of mourning and bereavement, with reference to the attachment theory One of the major strengths of the bereavement theories is the foundation of the theory is based upon the existence of attachment in human beings and therefore the strength of the existing bonds will determine the nature of the loss and the duration of the grieving period. Thus the theories acknowledge the formation of multiple forms of attachment between individuals and whenever separation occurs it results into a loss that an individual has to cope with it through the process of mourning and bereavement. Hence the strength of the bereavement theories is the fact that it has its basis on the different forms of attachment within the attachment theories that individuals form in their lifetime. The attachment theory argues that such attachments are formed early in life between the mother and the infant or the mother and the caregiver and the nature of these attachments are specific for survival purposes. Later in life several other attachments are created but also specific for instance through love bonds between spouses (Holmes, 1993). Most mourning and bereavement theories argue that human beings engage in the creation of several attachments during their lives. Whenever these bonds are broken or separation occurs the bereaved cling to other forms of attachment for support and consolation during the grieving period. Thus the relationship between the attachment theory and most bereavement and mourning theories is the fact of the existence of attachments that are created by human beings over time. However, these attachments may vary from one theory to the other. Whenever such bonds or separation occurs individuals experience a loss that leads to grieving. Attachments that are formed in life play a vital role in the process of mourning and bereavement. This due to the fact that the created attachments will act as support for the bereaved individual. These attachments may be in form of family and friends (Walter, 1999). The critiques of bereavement theories argue that each individual when experienced with the loss of a loved one undergoes an individualized type of response and at no given time that such responses are similar in any way. Thus the critics propose that rather than the theories advocating on the concept of letting go emphasis should be made on the negotiation of the process of loss over time. This is due to the fact that while death is permanent the mourning process is not. The critics argue that the main purpose of grieving and mourning should be to maintain the existence of the deceased within the enclosure of the family and social relations through ascertaining a continuing position within the lives of the deceased. Therefore the bonds between the deceased and the bereaved should not be broken or cut off in order to form new relations in future but such bond should be maintained while forming new future bonds through other relations. For instance when a parent has lost one of his children he/she will continue to state that he/she had four children one of whom is dead in the process of maintaining a relation and bonding with the deceased (Kubler-Ross, 1997). Conclusion The process of attachment involves emotional engagement of individuals that engages the formation of powerful engagements. This topic is important since it helps individuals on how to cope with their loss through the mourning and grieving process. The attachment is directed towards a selected number of individuals in order of preference. Most theorists of grief view mourning and bereavement as a process that a bereaved individual has to undergo as a way of healing. The process may vary from one individual to another as a result of the bonds formed between the individual and the deceased. Individuals form bonds from the early stages of life as evident in the separation anxiety between the mother and the infant. When separation of such bonds occurs as a result of a loss of a loved the bereaved experiences a state of despair and sometimes denial that such loss has occurred. Thus the process of mourning occurs immediately after the loss or separation of the bonds that had been initially formed. It is important to note that individuals form different kinds of attachments within their lifetime and it is through these attachments that when a loss is experienced act as a support block for a bereaved individual. The remaining forms of attachments for instance family and friends play a fundamental role in the process of mourning and bereavement and the eventual acceptance that the loss has occurred and therefore mechanisms are formed on how to effectively deal with the loss. Thus most theorists of grief describe grief as a process as opposed to a state whereby individuals need to work through their reactions so as to make necessary adjustments and accept the reality of the loss that they are experiencing. The bereaved individual need to work through the emotional part of the pain whilst making alteration to transformations so as to be able to create future attachment opportunities and cope effectively with the loss. Bibliography Murray-Parkes, C. 2000, Love and Loss. The Roots of Grief and its Complications. Hove, Routledge. Parkes, C.M., Laungani, P. and Young, B. 1997, Death and Bereavement Across Cultures. London, Routledge. Payne, S., Horn, S. and Relf, M. 2000, Loss and Bereavement. Open University Press, Buckingham. Stroebe, M., Hansson, R., Stroebe, W. and Schut, P. (Eds) 2000, Handbook of Bereavement Research: Consequences, Coping and Caring. Washington, D.C, American Psychological Association. Walter, T. 1999, On Bereavement: The Culture of Grief. Open University Press, Buckingham. Worden, J.W. 2009, Grief Counselling and Grief Therapy. London, Routledge Bowlby, J. 2005, The Making and Breaking of Affectional Bonds. Abingdon, Routledge. Bowlby, J. 1998, Attachment and Loss (Vol. 1-3). New York, Basic Books. Harvey, J.H. and Miller, E.D. 2000, Loss and Trauma. Hove, Brunner Routledge. Holland, J. 2001, Understanding Children’s Experience of Parental Bereavement. London, Jessica Kingsley. Holmes, J. 1993, John Bowlby and Attachment Theory, London, Routledge Kubler-Ross, E. 1997, On Death and Dying. London, Pocket Books. Read More

In sudden types of losses the individual becomes overwhelmed since the loss was not anticipated. The sudden types of losses are in most cases accompanied by shock and despair whereby the bereaved individual finds it hard to come into terms with reality. This usually leads to the individual denial to accept the reality of the loss and feels that there was something that they could have done to avert the loss. Sudden losses may occur as a result of crime or accidents among other factors (Murray-Parkes, 2000).

Predictable types of losses prepare the individuals of an eventual loss. In such type of losses the individual is prepared psychologically such that when the loss occurs it is easier to come into terms with reality and acceptance of the situation. This loss may result due to prolonged illness where the individual is prepared psychological of an eventual loss. Hence the type of loss experienced by an individual will highly depend on the duration the mourning will take and how an individual will be able to successfully cope with the loss eventually.

Traditionally the society helps individuals on how to cope with a loss of a loved one. In some societies burial ceremonies that encompass the performance of certain rituals is conducted and social and emotional support offered to the bereaved individuals (Walter, 1999). Attachment Theory in relation to the process of mourning and bereavement The attachment theory was initially developed by John Bowlby (Bowlby, 2005) in his attempts to comprehend the anguish displayed by infants during their separation with their parents.

The infants displayed feeling of crying and clinging in a bid to prevent separation from their parents. Therefore the attachment bonds between the infants and the parents are formed over time and the infant will try to avoid the separation through a display of certain emotional distress features. In the early stages of life the first attachments the infant forms is with the parent mainly the mother figure or the caregiver. Such attachments become strong so that the infant will try to prevent separation from the source of attachment.

The infant will therefore display distress features such as crying and clinging to the source of attachment (Bowlby, 1998). The attachment between the infant and the parent or caregiver is as a result of a long term interaction process. He further argues that it is due to the strong bonds formed during the attachment process that leads to separation anxiety between the infant and the mother. The infant displays the feeling of anxiety and despair in the process of separation with the mother or caregiver that is termed as the separation anxiety.

Infants form specific attachments to individuals within their surroundings but during their process of growth form multiple forms of attachment (Bowlby, 2005). Bowlby suggests that generally children come into the world when they are biological arranged to create and form attachments with other individuals that forms part of their survival tactics. Therefore in the process the infant generates some form of innate behavior that involves crying or smiling that is aimed at stimulating responses from adults or caregivers.

Bowlby suggests that children will originally engage in one principal attachment that will act as secure base in exploring the world. The attachment will therefore act as a model for future relationships. He further argues that as children grow into adulthood several forms for attachments are formed for survival reasons (Bowlby, 2005).These forms of attachments may be presented in the form of unions for instance in marriage. Spouses through the love bonds created over a period of time form long lasting attachments for the purpose of companionship.

Therefore attachment is viewed as lasting psychological connectedness that exists between human beings within a given period of time. Attachment forms part of the learned behavior and it does not necessarily have to be reciprocal (Bowlby, 1998).

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