Introduction
Attachment theory provides a framework for understanding the development of relationships between parents and their influence on the child’s later life. In the first part of the 20th century, it was believed that children formed attachments to people who fed them (Fonagy 2018). John Bowlby questioned these assumptions and hypothesised that motivation and behaviour were the primary factors affecting the development of attachments (Holmes 2014).
Bowlby first focused on the exclusive role of the mother-child relationship and its impact on the child’s adult life. However, later, the researcher recognised the importance of the father in the development of the child’s attachment and refined his theoretical paradigm (Bretherton 2014).
This paper includes an analysis of attachment theory with a focus on the father’s role in attachment development. The first part of this paper focuses on the theory and its principal elements such as major domains, factors affecting attachment formation, stages of attachment, and the four attachment patterns. The second part of the paper explores the importance of fathers in the process of forming attachments and the influence of father-child relationships on children’s behaviour, health, and attachment to a partner in adulthood.
Attachment Theory
Major Domains
The theory under consideration came into existence in the middle of the twentieth century when a young psychologist, John Bowlby, examined the origins of maladjusted boys’ behaviour (Fonagy 2018). Bowlby found that all of the boys in the group had disrupted relationships with their mothers, which made the researcher dig deeper into the matter (Goldberg 2014). The psychologist emphasised that people were bound to take part in social interactions. Based on these beliefs and continuous research, Bowlby developed attachment theory, which is now widely utilised.
Some of the primary domains of the theoretical paradigm include the notion of a secure base, exploration, and loss. All these concepts are closely connected and can hardly be analysed in isolation (Holmes 2014). Loss is one of the central domains, as the deprivation of a caregiver decreases children’s ability to form attachments properly. The concept of the secure base is another pillar of the theory, since caregivers becomes the source of comfort and security for the child. Children seek the support of their primary caregivers whenever they find themselves in an unfamiliar situation. The person who serves as the secure base also facilitates the child’s ability and motivation to explore and self-develop.
Factors Affecting Attachment Development
Although extensive research has been implemented for decades, it is often difficult to identify specific factors that contribute to the development of attachment. One of the premises for children’s becoming attached to a caregiver is the availability of a secure base. Children raised in orphanages or those whose biological parents do not live together tend not to trust people, which makes it impossible to form healthy attachments (Holmes 2014). Another influential factor affecting the emergence of attachment is the quality of care. If a caregiver is consistently available and responsive to the child’s needs, the child is likely to form attachments effectively. However, if care is provided poorly or inconsistently, the child cannot locate a secure base properly and fails to develop attachments.
Stages of Attachment Formation
Researchers identify four major stages of attachment development, including the stages of pre-attachment, indiscriminate attachment, discriminate attachment, and multiple attachment (Lomas, Hefferon & Ivtzan 2014). The first stage (from birth to 3 months) is marked by the child’s signalling their needs and caregivers’ response to these signals. During the indiscriminate attachment stage (from 6 weeks to 7 months), children accept care from different people, but start showing preferences concerning the primary caregiver. The discriminate attachment stage lasts from 7 to 11 months and is associated with the child’s strong preference for the primary caregiver. The multiple attachment stage starts in children older than 9 months and involves the development of bonds to secondary caregivers.
Attachment Patterns
Bowlby and other researchers applying attachment theory identified certain patterns of attachment. Secure attachment is characterised by anxiety when separated from the caregiver and delight after a reunion (Fonagy 2018). In such relationships, children trust their caregivers and find comfort whenever it is needed. Children who had secure attachments tend to form healthy relationships and display prosocial behaviour in their adult lives (Gross et al. 2017). The roles of the mother and father are equally important for the development of the child.
The rest of the identified patterns are negative and are linked to issues in adulthood. Ambivalent attachment is associated with a child’s deep sorrow when separated from the caregiver (Salter Ainsworth et al. 2015). This pattern is mainly a result of deprivation of the mother. Avoidant attachment involves children’s desire to avoid caregivers. It is usually formed if caregivers neglect their children or abuse them. Such children often fail to trust people and do not seek support from others in their adulthood. Disorganised attachment is the result of relationships where caregivers provide care inconsistently. Children often see such parents as comforters and abusers at the same time.
Fathers’ Role in the Development of Attachment
Research
As mentioned above, at the dawn of the theory, fathers were not regarded as a secure base by psychologists and were largely excluded from the research (Palm 2014). At the end of the 20th century, the social context changed and father-child relationships became a matter of exploration. Palm (2014) claims that the role of the father in the child’s attachment development was examined primarily through the lens of external factors and through comparison of the influence of mothers and fathers. At present, such areas as fathers’ parenting styles, family contexts, and fathers’ behaviours are under consideration.
Fathers and Exploration
Bowlby also ignored the fathers and focused on the impact mothers as caregivers had on their children’s development. The psychologist later accepted the idea that fathers performed an important role in their children’s attachment development and potential success in adulthood (Newland & Coyl 2014). He admitted that mothers were secure bases referred to for comfort and nurture, while the input of fathers was associated with children’s exploration and self-enhancement.
Fathers often challenge their children and motivate them to explore the world around them in many ways (Cabrera et al. 2014). Mothers are associated with security and comfort, while fathers are linked to exciting and dangerous practices that facilitate children’s desire to explore. This aspect is tied to social activity, and it is found that children whose fathers have been active caregivers tend to be less anxious when communicating with others (Boldt et al. 2014). Goodsell and Meldrum (2014) also note that the influence of fathers is exclusive when they are the primary caregivers. Their behavior and parenting style have a central impact on the development of attachment.
Fathers’ Involvement and Its Outcomes
The effect of fathers’ involvement in rearing children cannot be overestimated, as it provides the necessary balance between the need for security and experiencing challenges. It is acknowledged that children who have healthy relationships with their fathers are likely to have better academic performance as compared to those whose fathers are not supportive (Woodward 2018). Children who have healthy attachment to their fathers are often more successful in their romantic relationships as well (Stanton & Campbell 2014; Pietromonaco & Beck 2015). They are able to form trustful relationships with others, which is essential for forming effective long-term romantic relationships.
The development of attachment to fathers is also closely linked to children’s health. Mazzeschi et al. (2014) found a relationship between attachment development and children’s body weight. Children with an insecure attachment to their fathers are significantly more likely to be overweight as compared to those characterised by secure attachment patterns (Tasca & Balfour 2014). Demidenko, Manion, and Lee (2015) argue that low attachment to fathers is associated with depressive symptoms in adolescent females. Fonagy (2018) also adds that children’s attachment is affected by fathers’ parenting style, external factors (for example, the family’s socio-economic status), and familial contexts.
Conclusion
On balance, it should be noted that attachment theory provides an effective paradigm for examining the nature of attachment and interpersonal relationships. The theory is instrumental for identifying possible reasons for people’s improper behaviour or psychological issues, as well as potential strategies to address these problems. Although it used to be believed that only mothers were key figures in attachment development, the social context of the modern world is changing, and fathers are becoming more involved.
One of their primary roles is related to the child’s exposure to new opportunities and challenges. Fathers facilitate children’s urge for exploration, which is essential for their ability to form effective relationships with other people in their adult lives.
As far as the specific outcomes of secure or insecure attachment to the father, it is possible to state that children’s health and psychological wellbeing often depends on their relationships with their fathers. Irrespective of the child’s gender, the father’s support and care are important. Abusive fathers make their children more likely to feel mistrustful toward everyone and often depressed. It should also be noted that fathers’ parenting styles and the social and familial contexts affect the way attachment is developed.
It is also important to add that the presence of both parents is crucial for a child’s proper development, as both parents perform different roles and influence different aspects of their child’s growth. However, it is also necessary to remember that these roles are not rigid and fathers can be the primary caregivers, providing support or constantly challenging their child and exposing them to new situations.
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