Introduction
The attachment theory concentrates on individual bonds and relationships, particularly long-term relationships between parents and children. Parents must be compassionate when caring for their children because infants are likelier to feel protected and secure. The attachment theory indicates that an infant experiences responsive caregiving and always expects that everyone is available and supportive in their time of need. Different parents may have different ways of raising their children, and some might require advice from local experts like nurses for the child’s growth and development. When working with caregivers to encourage healthy attachments, a nurse can try to inspire several behaviors based on the attachment theory.
Nursing Strategies Based on Attachment Theory to Support Parent-Child Bonding
According to the theory of attachment, a nurse would make an effort to encourage traits like emotional responsiveness, caring actions, and effective communication that would help a child and their primary caregiver form a stronger relationship. For example, a nurse can teach parents to listen to the infant’s cues, respond to their emotions and needs, and show support and affection (Heo & Oh, 2019).
A nurse may also assist caregivers in practicing activities that foster attachment, such as playing games, singing songs, and reading stories (Harlow, 2021). A nurse can also provide parents with resources and advice if they are having trouble forming an attachment because of postpartum abuse, trauma, or depression (Kohlhoff et al., 2020). By doing this, a nurse may help parents build a solid and trusting bond with their children that will ultimately be advantageous for both the child and the parent.
By urging parents to keep their children close to them both physically and emotionally, nurses can encourage secure attachment patterns in them. Physical proximity refers to being near to, holding, and snuggling the youngster. It helps the youngster feel safe, comforted, and loved (Harlow, 2021). In addition, it stimulates the release of oxytocin, a hormone that reduces stress and enhances bonding.
Emotional proximity means being empathetic, supportive, and attentive to the child’s needs and feelings (Kohlhoff et al., 2020). It assists the child to develop confidence, autonomy, and trust. Nurses can educate parents about the importance of proximity and offer tips to improve secure attachment behaviors. For example, nurses can suggest that parents hold the infant skin-to-skin during feeding and after birth (Heo & Oh, 2019). In addition, they can encourage parents to use slings or baby carriers to keep the child close while conducting other activities.
By enabling parents to maximize their responsiveness, sensitivity to the children’s cues, and reflecting functioning, nurses can aid parents in forming positive relationships with their children. The reflective function is the ability to comprehend one’s and others’ psychological states, such as intentions, motivations, feelings, and thoughts (Harlow, 2021). Responsiveness is the ability to respond consistently and appropriately to the child’s emotions and needs (Harlow, 2021).
Sensitivity is identifying and interpreting the child’s cues and signals empathically and accurately (Slade et al., 2020). These three parenting aspects are essential for fostering cognitive development, social competence, secure attachment, and emotional regulation in children (Slade et al., 2020). Nurses can empower parents to optimize these aspects by offering information and education on attachment theory, child development, and parenting skills (Heo & Oh, 2019). Additionally, they can help parents think about their thoughts, feelings, and experiences as parents and how those things affect how they interact with their offspring.
Conclusion
Finally, to establish a healthy attachment, a nurse may aim to encourage behaviors that strengthen parent-child relationships while collaborating with caregivers. The behaviors include caring actions, good communication, and emotional responsiveness. The nurse should also encourage proximity to children to promote a healthy attachment by improving parents’ secure attachment behaviors. Lastly, the nurse should empower parents to optimize sensitivity to the children’s cues, reflective functioning, and responsiveness. By empowering caregivers to optimize these behaviors, nurses can assist them in creating secure and nurturing relations with their children that foster their optimal development and growth.
References
Harlow, E. (2021). Attachment theory: Developments, debates and recent applications in social work, social care and education. Journal of Social Work Practice, 35(1), 79-91. Web.
Heo, Y. J., & Oh, W. O. (2019). The effectiveness of a parent participation improvement program for parents on partnership, attachment infant growth in a neonatal intensive care unit: A randomized controlled trial. International Journal of Nursing Studies, 95, 19-27. Web.
Kohlhoff, J., Morgan, S., Briggs, N., Egan, R., & Niec, L. (2020). Parent–child interaction therapy with toddlers in a community‐based setting: Improvements in parenting behavior, emotional availability, child behavior, and attachment. Infant Mental Health Journal, 41(4), 543-562. Web.
Slade, A., Holland, M. L., Ordway, M. R., Carlson, E. A., Jeon, S., Close, N., & Sadler, L. S. (2020). Minding the baby®: Enhancing parental reflective functioning and infant attachment in an attachment-based, interdisciplinary home visiting program. Development and Psychopathology, 32(1), 123-137. Web.