Observation Guidelines: Assessing Young Children's Attachment Security

Secure Attachment

Look For:

• Active, intentional exploration of the environment in the presence of the caregiver
• Protest at being separated from a caregiver; ability to be soothed when the caregiver returns
• Initial wariness of strangers, with subsequent acceptance if reassured by the caregiver

Example:

Luis cries when his father drops him off at the child care center in the morning. After a few minutes, he settles down and crawls to a familiar and affectionate caregiver who is beginning to become another attachment figure for him.

Implication:

It is natural for young children to resist separation from family members. Help them establish a routine of saying good-bye in the morning, and give them extra attention during this transition. Reassure parents and other family members by describing children’s individual ways of settling down and the activities children typically turn to when they relax.

Insecure-Avoidant Attachment

Look For:

• Superficial exploration of the environment
• Indifference to a caregiver’s departure; failure to seek comfort upon the caregiver’s return
• Apparent discomfort around strangers, but without an active resistance to their overtures

Example:

Jennifer walks around her new child care center with a frown on her face. She parts easily with her mother, and after a short time she seems to adjust to her new environment. Jennifer glances up when her mother comes at the end of the day, but she doesn’t seem overjoyed about her mother’s return.

Implication:

Independence from parents is often a sign of children’s familiarity with child care or preschool settings. For children who seem at ease with separation, support them throughout the day. When children appear indifferent to family members, form your own affectionate relationships with these children, knowing that such relationships could become children’s first secure ones.

Insecure-Resistant Attachment

Look For:

• Exceptional clinginess and anxiety with caregiver
• Agitation and distress at the caregiver’s departure; continued crying or fussing after the caregiver returns
• Apparent fear of strangers; tendency to stay close to caregiver in new situation