The introductory text reads, Attachment begins at birth and continues lifelong. Much depends not only on the ways
in which parents and babies bond, but also on the quality and consistency of caregiving, the safety and security of
the home environment, and individual and family experience. While the patterns set in infancy may echo in later
life, they are not determinative.
A subheading reads, How Many Children are Securely Attached? The following
text reads, The specific percentages of children who are secure and insecure vary by culture, parent responsiveness,
context, and specific temperament and needs of both the child and the caregiver. Generally, about a third of all
1-year-olds seem insecure.
The attachment patterns along with the percentage of children are as follows.
Secure Attachment (Type B): 50 to 70 percent; Avoidant Attachment (Type A): 10 to 20 percent; Ambivalent Attachment
(Type C): 10 to 20 percent; and Disorganized Attachment (Type D): 5 to 10 percent.
A subheading reads,
Attachment in the Strange Situation May Influence Relationships through the Life Span. The following text reads,
Attachment patterns formed in infancy affect adults lifelong, but later experiences of love and rejection may change
early patterns. Researchers measure attachment by examining children’s behaviors in the Strange Situation
where they are separated from their parent and play in a room with an unfamiliar caregiver. These early patterns can
influence later adult relationships. As life goes on, people become more or less secure, avoidant, or
disorganized.
Securely Attached [Type B]: In the Strange Situation, children are able to separate from
caregiver but prefer caregiver to strangers. Later in life, they tend to have supportive relationships and positive
self-concept.
Insecure-Avoidant [Type A]: In the Strange Situation, children avoid caregiver. Later in life,
they tend to be aloof in personal relationships, loners who are lonely.
Insecure-Resistant/Ambivalent [Type
C]: In the Strange Situation, children appear upset and worried when separated from caregiver; they may hit or
cling. Later in life, their relationships may be angry, stormy, unpredictable. They have few long-term
friendships.
Disorganized [Type D]: In the Strange Situation, children appear angry, confused, erratic, or
fearful. Later in life, they can demonstrate odd behavior—including sudden emotions. They are at risk for
serious psychological disorders.
A subheading reads, The Continuum of Attachment. The following text reads,
Avoidance and anxiety occur along a continuum. Neither genes nor cultural variations were understood when the
Strange Situation was first developed (in 1965). Some contemporary researchers believe the link between childhood
attachment and adult personality is less straightforward than this table suggests.
A chart illustrates that
Secure and Avoidant attachment patterns lead to Low Anxiety; Secure and Resistant lead to Low Avoidance; Resistant
and Disorganized lead to High Anxiety; and Disorganized and Avoidant lead to High Avoidance.