Using Attachment Theory in Social Work - Coursework Example

Attachment Theory Name University Course Title Instructor Date 1.0 Introduction The principal target of social work is to solve individual social problems. Social work is eclectic in nature and adopts various theoretical frameworks from other disciplines to frame certain constructs. Equally, the profession has developed its own theoretical models for explaining various phenomena. These include psychodynamic theories tied to social learning theory and other holistic approaches aimed at solving client’s problem (Lehmann and Coardy, 2001, p.1-8). One of the theories that have been widely applied in social work is attachment theory. The theory postulates the development of an individual in relation to the relationship they had with primary care givers (Bolen, 2000, p.129).This paper has three overriding targets. The first is to examine a theory which in this context is attachment theory. Under the same, the paper assesses the chief principles/ arguments of the said theory. Secondly, the paper examines how the said theory has been used to frame social work or how it has been used to inform social work purpose and values. Lastly, the paper outlines how the selected theory can be used to inform the work of the author in the field in which the author is interested in under social work discipline. 2.0 Attachment Theory 2.1 Underlying Principles The initial development in the field of attachment theory relates to the works of John Bowlby in 1969. The same can be equally be attributed to the works of Mary Ainsworth in 1970s (Colmer, Rutherford and Murphy, 2011, p.17; Hardy and Prior, 2000, p.49). Birns (1999, p.10) observes that attachment theory is one of the most divisive constructs in the field of psychology. She notes that individuals are likely to interpret the same differently depending on their perceptions and background (p.11). Hardy and Prior (2000, p.49) indicates that for more than 40 years scholars in the field of psychodynamic theories have constantly done improvement on attachment theory. Attachment theory has been used to conceptualise various aspects of human relationships and the behavioural and emotional responses that are related with the same. The model examines how a child’s attachment impacts on his or her development at later stages. According to Colmer, Rutherford and Murphy (2011, p.17), the theory was developed so as to conceptualise mother and child relationship with the main premise that quality of attachment in relationships is an influencing factor in emotional development. Most of Blowlby works were done during post World War 2 in Britain (Franzblau, 1999, p.29). According to Hardy and Prior (2000), Bowlby considered the role/ position of social-emotional environment on future child development. His work was more specific on how children were treated. In his findings, he established a causal relationship between maternal deprivation and deviance at the later stages of an individual. The premise of his work was anchored on separation of a child with primary care giver. In his work, he understood attachment as being “behaviour control system, operating to maintain an acceptable distance or accessibility between the subject and their specific attachment figure” (p.49). Further, he noted that child development happens in four spheres and in the context of the changing behaviour of the care giver. For Mary Ainsworth, Hardy and Prior (2000, p.50) indicates that she examined the behaviour of a child in the presence of a care giver and in the absence of the same in terms of confidence. She named this context ‘strange situation’. Further, the theory outlines the different attachments that people develop over the life span. Equally the theory explains the unsecure attachments that individuals are likely to encounter. Hardy and Prior (2000, p.52) indicates that the earlier stages of life before 6 months, a child and mothers goal is to develop a bond that will allow them to move along together. For the mother to win over the child, she has to provide for his/ her primary psychological requirements. At the latter half of the first year of existence of a child, they normal have strong attachment with attachment figures and normally resent being left alone. At 2-5 years, the attachment relationship being exhibited is ‘goal-corrected partnership’ and reciprocal in nature (p.53). The fourth is school years where other care givers like teachers emerge. During this period, their attachment is shaped with their expectation on the adults they interact with. Fifth is the adolescent stage where attachment bond starts shifting from primary care giver to others like peers who might contribute to their sense of security. At the adulthood level the level of attachment gets complex. This extends to sibling, friends and close relatives (p.54 & 55). 2.1 Criticisms The greatest criticism of the theory has emerged from scholars with deep leaning on feminism. For instance, Rutherford and Murphy (2011, p.17) observes that Blowlby’s work was viewed as ‘mother blaming’ concepts. His rationale that mothers and their siblings were biologically factored to build a strong attachment was highly rebuked in 1960s and 70s by women rights movements (Franzblau, 1999, p.29). Additionally, Bliwise (1999, p.45) notes that under attachment theory, attachment is assessed as static characteristic of mothers and attachment is allocated to children and not the system. However, this observation does not hold any ground since attachment is a function of numerous social behaviours encountered during childhood. 3.0 Why Social Work Engages with Attachment Theory The purpose and values of social work is to address human development within the cycle of child, adolescent and adult with a principal focus on the acquisition of resilience across the life course (Lehmann and Coardy, 2001, p.1-8). The discipline uses various cognitive behavioural theories for psychoanalysis so as to explain the risk and protective factors at individual, family, community and societal levels that distract or spurs child, adolescent and adult development. This section shows how the theory informs social work purpose and values. the nexus between the theory and social work lies out of the fact that contemporary works have proved that there is direct positive relation between early “early adverse experiences and later offending and mental health problem”. For instance, in a study conducted in London, it was established that most offenders had experienced poor parenting marked with low quality supervision, harsh, authoritarian discipline and parents with conflict (Ansbro, 2008, p.234). Moreover, unsecure attachments predispose an individual mental disorders yet the ultimate aim of social work is to create a holistic development (Hardy and Prior, 2000, p.58). the same realisation of early childhood setting and secure base for proper development is affirmed by Colmer, Rutherford and Murphy (2011, p.17) who notes that “ a secure base develops a child’s sense of connection and belonging”. Bolen (2000, p.130) posits that the theory is integral in interpreting of an individual’s behaviour. Secondly, the theory can be used to predict future behaviour of an individual based on the earlier experiences in terms of the relationship he or she had with primary care givers. 4.0 Field of Interest and How the Theory can be Applied The author’s field of interest is in family support service for those in juvenile detention centres thro psychoanalysis approach. How the theory will inform my work is based on how it can be used to create an offender to be a desister by enhancing relationship between the offender and the family, secondary care givers and the society as a whole. The chief focus would be on school going stage and adolescent stage relationship. 4.1 Need to re-offend or be a persister The principal aim of correctional facilities is to make a person desist from crime. However, this expectation has not been the case (Murray, 2009; Halsey, 2007b: p. 1212; Australian Institute of Criminology, 2011, p.5). Murray (2009, p.119); Cuneen & Luke (2008, p.204) notes that desistance is the ability of former residents of correctional facilities being able to maintain their resistance after being released from containment so that they can gain non offending status. Halsey (2007a, p.341) notes that 91% of juveniles who had been subjected to care and protection and supervised justice had progressed to adult correctional system. Helsey (2008a) notes that there are numerous factors that lead one to re-offend or be a persister after being released. One cause of re-offending is marginalisation. McAlister (2008, p.15) observes that social exclusion and disconnection from the world plays a critical role in pushing young people to crime. McAlister (2008, p.15) indicates that factors like low self-control, poor ability to delay gratification, disrupted families, low-income and living in poor high crime areas make one prone to (re) offending. Marginalisation can lead to what McAlister (2008, p.18) terms as street-based leisure. Street based leisure is a sure way to committing or experiencing crime since one is socialised to anti social behaviours. To overcome the above challenges, there is need to adopt participatory collaborative approach in reducing re-offending activities (Prior & Mason, 2010, p.219). The next is how the juveniles are handled during the incarceration period. Harlsey (2008b, p.218) notes that when inmates are handled with disrespect, the probability of going back into criminal activities is higher. Harlsey (2008b, p.224); Stubbs (2010, p.489) notes that respect contributes to making a person social. A social person is not likely to engage in criminal activities. One key approach would be to make detention centres areas of rehabilitation rather than points of punishment (Aalders, 2010). 4.2 Application of the Theory in Reduction of Re-offending Rate among Juveniles The key focus of the theory is how best it would be apply in the rehabilitation programme of juvenile offenders (Ansbro, 2008, p.231). Ansbro (2008, p.232) notes that “attachment theory similarly deserves a place in the selection of alternative ideas vying for some space alongside cognitive behaviourism. Moreover, attachment has congruence with the ideas around desistance and the narrative, because, like them, it proposes that the quality of the relationship between offender and worker is pivotal to effective intervention”. The core argument is on insecure attachment. Insecure attachment influences behaviour, feelings and everyday functioning (p.55). Ansbro (2008, p.235) notes that most children in America convicted of crime suffers from Anti-Social Personality Disorder (ASPD) in adulthood as result of neglect during childhood. The application of the same becomes integral in controlling ones extreme state of mind like failure to empathize, rapist or muggers. 5.0 Conclusion The chief focus of this discourse was divided in to three parts. The first was to select a theory used in social work and outline its core arguments. The study examined attachment theory which has its principal argument tied to the fact that the future behaviour of an individual is predetermined by the quality of relation one has with primary care givers/ parents. Secondly, the paper established why social work engages with this theory and it informs the same. To show nexus between the two the paper first outlined the core concern of social work which is on well being through all stages of life. On the other hand, the paper established that the theory can be used to conceptualise behaviour of an individual and possible future behaviour, lastly, the paper outlined how the theory can be applied in practice in the author’s area of interest. The author’s area of interest is on family support service for those in juvenile detention. The paper established that the theory can be used in analysing and discouraging re-offending. References Ansbro, M. (2008). Using attachment theory with offenders. The Journal of Community and Criminal Justice, 55 (3): 231-244. Australian Policy Online, (9 February, 2012). Juvenile detention population in Australia 2011. Available at: http://apo.org.au/research/juvenile-detention-population-australia-2011. Birns, B. (1999). Attachment theory revisited: challenging conceptual and methodological sacred cows. Feminism & Psychology, 9 (1): 10-21. Bliwise, N. G. (1999). Securing attachment theory’s potential. Feminism & Psychology, 9 (1): 43-52. Bolen, R. M. (2000). Validity of attachment theory. Trauma, Violence & Abuse, 1 (2): 128-153. Colmer, K., Rutherford, L. and Murphy, P. (2011). Attachment theory and primary care giving. Australian Journal of Early Childhood, 36 (4): 16-21. Cuneen, C. & Luke, G. (2008). Recidivism and the effectiveness of criminal justice interventions: juvenile offenders and post release support. Current issues of criminal justice, Vol. 19, No. 2, pp. 198-210. Franzblau, S. H. (1999). Historicizing attachment theory: binding the ties that bind. Feminism & Psychology, 9 (1): 22-31. Halsey, M. (2007b). Assembling recidivism: the promise and contingencies of post-release life. The journal of criminal law & criminology, Vol. 97, No, 4, pp. 1209-1260. Hardy, C. and Prior, K. (2000). Attachment theory in Lesley Lougher (eds). Occupational therapy for child and adolescent mental health. Edinburgh: Churchil Livingstone. Hasley, M. (2007a). On confinement: resident and inmate perspectives of secure care and imprisonment. The journal of community and criminal justice, Vol. 54 (4), pp. 338-367. Lehmann, P. & Coady, N. (Eds). (2001). Theoretical perspectives for direct social work practice: A generalist-eclectic approach. (2nd Ed.). New York: Springer Publishing Company. McAlister, A. (2008). Predictable pathways? Negotiating risk in the context of marginalisation and social exclusion. Current issues in criminal justice, Vol. 20, No. 1, pp. 15-29. Murray, C. (2009). Typologies of young resisters and desisters. The national association for Youth justice, Vol. 9, No. 2. pp. 115-129. Prior, D. & Mason, P. (2010). A different kind of evidence? Looking for ‘what works’ in engaging young offenders. The national association for youth justice, Vol 10, No. 3, pp. 211-226. Stubbs, J. (2010). Re-examining bail and remand for young people in NSW. Australian & New Zealand Journal of Criminology, Vol. 43, No. 3, pp. 485-506. Read More