Ă„hnlich wie An Elaboration on the Distinction Between Controversial Parenting and Therapeutic Practices Versus Developmentally Appropriate Attachment Parenting
Ă„hnlich wie An Elaboration on the Distinction Between Controversial Parenting and Therapeutic Practices Versus Developmentally Appropriate Attachment Parenting (17)
2. 374 Curtner-Smith et al. / AN ELABORATION
than witchcraft can be called modern medicine. We are behaviors. Most of all, regardless of a child’s age,
concerned that by using the term attachment parenting attachment parenting refers to a parent’s ability to
to refer to controversial, abusive practices, the Task empathize with how a child is feeling and to how a
Force may unintentionally discourage practitioners parent views those feelings as important and worthy
or parents from endorsing or engaging in parenting of parental response.
behaviors that have been demonstrated by research Hopefully, the distinction between controversial,
to promote secure parent–child attachment bonds, abusive parenting and therapeutic practices versus
which are necessary for positive child mental health. developmentally appropriate attachment parenting
We suggest that in future reports, the Task Force is now clearer. Moreover, it is hoped that practitioners
refer to the controversial, abusive therapeutic and and therapists aiming to promote secure parent–
parenting practices as just what they are: controversial child attachment relationships now understand that
and abusive. attachment parenting is very different from the con-
troversial, abusive practices that are appropriately
criticized in the Task Force report.
AN APPROPRIATE DEFINITION OF
ATTACHMENT PARENTING Mary Elizabeth Curtner-Smith, PhD, CFLE
University of Alabama
Developmentally appropriate attachment parent- Wendy Middlemiss, PhD, CFLE
ing practices are based on mainstream psychological Pennsylvania State University Shenango
attachment theory which was first conceived by John Katherine Green, PhD
Bowlby (1951, 1982) and Mary Ainsworth (1982; Capella University
Ainsworth, Blehar, Waters, & Wall, 1978). The corner- Ann D. Murray
stone of developmentally appropriate attachment Kansas State University
parenting is parental emotional sensitivity to children. Miranda Barone, PhD
Emotional sensitivity refers to a parent’s anticipating California State University, Long Beach
and being sensitive to a child’s needs and then Jeanne Stolzer, PhD
attempting to meet those perceived needs. Attachment University of Nebraska at Kearney
Lysa Parker, CFLE
parenting includes warm, affectionate responses to a
Attachment Parenting International
child’s bids for attention. This style of parenting is Barbara Nicholson
neither controlling nor coercive. Other parenting Attachment Parenting International
behaviors that make up the attachment style of par-
enting include infant-focused prenatal activities; REFERENCES
breastfeeding, when possible, to encourage close-
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physical proximity through frequent touch, carrying, Hillsdale, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum.
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In C. M. Parkes & J. Stevenson-Hinde (Eds.), The place of
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need for closeness; and avoiding long caregiver– Bowlby, J. (1951). Maternal care and mental health. Bulletin of the
child separations. As children age, attachment par- World Health Organization, 3, 355-534.
Bowlby, J. (1982). A control systems approach to attachment
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of touch, a democratic style of communication and Chaffin, M., Hanson, R., Saunders, B. E., Nichols, T., Barnett, D.,
Zeanah, C., et al. (2006). Report of the APSAC Task Force on
problem solving, and parents’ use of inductive rea- attachment therapy, reactive attachment disorder, and attach-
soning techniques to help children learn positive ment problems. Child Maltreatment, 11, 76-89.
CHILD MALTREATMENT / NOVEMBER 2006