Page 75 - Meeting with Children Book

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idea of multiple attachment figures is typically viewed
as occurring in the framework of a hierarchy. In this
case the greater the need (risk, danger, injury etc.),
the more likely the child will insist and persist to gain
access to the principal attachment figure. If the child
has a consistent, reliable and sensitive caregiver,
he/she will likely experience a secure attachment with
that caregiver. Conversely, the child may have to rely
on an inconsistent, abusive or emotionally
disorganized caregiver, in which case the child is at
risk of developing an insecure attachment. Insecure
attachment patterns fall into three main categories:

1. Insecure-avoidant
The child responds with little protest to separation
from a caregiver and displays no attachment
behavior such as following the caregiver and crying.
Upon return of the caregiver, the response is
avoidance and no intense physical contact is
observed.
2. Insecure-anxious/ambivalent
Child responds with intense distress after separation
from a caregiver, and when the caregiver returns, the
parent cannot calm the child quickly, the child
expresses a desire for closeness, and at same time
behaves aggressively by hitting, kicking or turning
away.
3. Insecure-disorganized
Child responds by moving towards caregiver and then
freezing, has some stereotypical behaviors, appears
frightened and disoriented and cannot organize to
gain any connection with the caregiver). This insecure-
disorganized category has often been seen in “at-risk”