Parental Attachment and the Development of Self-Compassion

P bental trammel and the cultivation of self-Compassion The Positive Psychology movement focuses on come uponing entertainive factors that come on wellorganism and protect people from the prohibit psychological make related to lifes green challenges. interrogation increasingly back downs self-importance-compassion as a key comp nonpareilnt in arbitrary aff fitting wellness outcomes. However, very hardly a(prenominal) studies have checkd factors that lead to the discipline of self-compassion. bond paper is cognize to abide to the using of substantially brotherly and feelingal development (Sroufe, Egeland, Carlson, & Collins, 2005).Theoretically, heightenal bond should promote the development of self-compassion. Attachment is described as the socio- aflame bond among discordant(prenominal)s (Wicks-Nelson & Isreal, 2009). Healthy parental appendage develops in the first year of life by consistent, sensitive, and responsive parenting from a stable phency clidine hydrochloride (Ainsworth, 1979 Barnas & Cummings, 1994 Sroufe, 2005). The supplement family with a caregiver is an prerequisite comp wizardnt in performance to form the installation for whole constitution and function in society.For example, holdfast is known to influence cognitive competency, development of conscience, cope skills, relationship skills, and the ability to handle perceive threats and shun emotions (Sroufe et al. , 2005 Wicks-Nelson & Isreal, 2009). In a retrospect of the Minnesota teach, Sroufe (2005) senior senior mettlesome schoollights the splendor of betimes shackle in the develop affable course. The Minnesota involve was a 30-year longitudinal developmental champaign, commencing in the 1970s, which fol milded soulfulnesss from before birth until adulthood. The main affair of the turn over was to evaluate the major propositions of bail theory (Sroufe, 2005, p. 49). The primary design of the theatre was to test Bowlbys hypoth eses that (1) quality of caregiver-infant adjunct is influenced by the interaction history with the caregiver, (2) individual differences in personality bathroom be explained by variations in the quality of advance(prenominal) adherence, and (3) bushel attachment is related to the development of self-reliance, emotion regulation, and social competence. The quality of infant-caregiver attachment was assessed through observation at 12 and 18 months, using Ainsworths unnamed Situation procedure.Many outcome variables, or patterns of behaviour, were extensively streakd using various methods (questionnaires, observation, standardized testing, parental and teacher reports) at several ages including infancy, preschool years, childhood, adolescence, and emerging adulthood. During the preschool years outcomes much(prenominal) as self-regulation, curiosity, and effective entry into equal group were measured. In middle school, measures of real-world competence, truehearted friendshi ps, coordination of friendship, and group functioning were examined.During adolescence identity, intimacy, and self-reflection were assessed. The findings from the Minnesota study provided abet for Bowlbys hypotheses (Sroufe, 2005). First, it was demo that in effect(p) attachment is directly related to a history of sensitive, emotionally engaged, and cooperative interaction with a caregiver. Also as Bowlby suggested, skilful attachment harbingered the development of self-reliance such that individuals who employ their caregiver as a secure base to explore during infancy, were later on to a greater extent independent.Moreover, secure attachment predicted reconciling emotion regulation as demonstrated by securely attached individuals having more self-confidence, higher self-pride, more ego-resiliency (ability to adjust), persistent and whippy coping strategies, and displaying affect appropriate to situations. Finally, knock-down(prenominal) links were found between secure attachment and measures of social competence from early childhood through adulthood. Individuals with secure attachment were assessed as signifi bay windowtly better on measures such as expectation of relationships, strife with others, skill in interaction, empathy, and leadership qualities.Sroufe (2005) suggests these findings depute the critical importance of attachment be bewilder it plays an initiating division in the pathways of development and is related to decisive developmental functions. Thus, attachment is associated with adaptive psychological development. One construct associated with supreme(p) mental health outcomes, and in consequence is probably to be engendered by attachment, is self-compassion. ego-compassion is a self- place that originates from Buddhistic philosophy and has recently begun to appear in Western psychology research.Neff (2003a) has proposed that self-compassion plays an important percentage in psychological health and describes self-compas sion as extending kindness and caring towards ones self. As the term itself insinuates, self-compassion involves treating oneself with compassion, especially when experiencing negative feelings and events. beingness compassionate towards oneself entails be able to forgive ones perceive failures and shortcomings, accepting oneself as human and hence as limited and not perfect, and in any case desiring wellbeing for oneself.Neff (2003a) conceptualized self-compassion as comprising three components self-kindness, harsh humanity, and mindfulness. Self-kindness refers to extending kindness and understanding to oneself rather than being harshly self-critical and faultfinding(prenominal). Being less judgmental of oneself should similarly minimize judgment of others. greens humanity is the ability to cyclorama negative experiences and limitations as a shared diorama of the larger human experience, instead of eyesight experiences as separating and isolating. Consequentially, comm on humanity as well as involves recognizing ones equality with others, which prevents one from being self-centered.Finally, mindfulness requires clearly seeing and accepting ones emotions as opposed to the tendency to exaggerate or become absorbed with ones painful thoughts and feelings. These three elements are joined such that they each promote one another. Research has established and continues to support the benefits of self-compassion. Indeed, there is evidence that self-compassion is associated with emotional intelligence, intrinsic motivation, emotion focused coping strategies, and life propitiation (Neff, 2003b Neff, Hsieh, & Dejitterat, 2005).Additionally, self-compassion protects persons from self-criticism, anxiety, and depression (Neff, 2003b Neff, Kirkpatrick, & Rude, 2007). Self-compassion also involves taking state for ones mistakes, and in turning being motivated to change maladaptive thoughts and behaviors (Neff, 2003a Leary, Tate, Adams, Allen, & Hancock, 20 07). Furthermore, self-compassion, not self-esteem, accounts for the attenuation of peoples reactions to negative events (Leary et al. , 2007). Together these findings indicate the importance of self-compassion as it promotes adaptive psychological functioning while preventing negative outcomes.Self-compassion is also perceive to be distinct from and more skillful than self-esteem (Leary et al. , 2007). Self-esteem refers to our overall attitude some ourselves (Baron et al, 2008), and has recently been criticized for inconsistently predicting positive outcomes. Although having high self-esteem is known to be related to such factors as positive self-feelings and motivation (Baumeister, Campbell, Krueger, & Vohs, 2003), it has also been linked to narcissism, distortions in self-knowledge, increased prejudice and aggression (Baumeister et al. , 2003 Sinha & Krueger, 1999).Self-compassion whitethorn be a better preference to promote because it does not involve judgments about onese lf or comparison with others as self-esteem does (Neff & Vonk, 2009). Self-compassion leads to positive outcomes without the negative drawbacks associated with self-esteem (Neff, 2009). To date, just one study has demonstrated that parental support and secure attachment predict higher levels of self-compassion (Neff & McGeehee, in press). Neff and McGeehee (in press) examined the relationships between self-compassion and psychological wellbeing, cognitive, and family factors in a sample of high school and college students.Because adolescence is known to be a difficult emotional period involving the governance of ones identity or common sense of self (Arnett, 2007), the first goal of Neff and McGeehees study was to determine whether self-compassion promotes the corresponding positive mental health outcomes in adolescence as those found in adulthood. Self-compassion was evaluate to be related to reports of higher levels of social connectedness and downcaster levels of anxiety a nd depression. As expected, the results demonstrated that self-compassion was strongly associated with poor depression, low anxiety, and high feelings of connectedness.The second goal of Neff and McGeehees (in press) study was to explore factors that may contribute to adolescents development, or lack of development, of self-compassion. Self-compassion was hypothesized to be associated with agnatic support, functional families, and secure internal running(a) works of attachment. Self-report measures were used to assess self-compassion (Self-Compassion Scale), maternal support (maternal subscale of the Family Messages Measure), family functioning (Index of Family Relations), and attachment (The Relationship Questionnaire).The results stage that adolescents self-compassion partially negotiate the relationship between their reports of mental health and maternal support, family functioning, attachment way, and adolescent egocentrism, indicating that family factors can impact well being through self-compassion. Additionally, individual differences in self-compassion were predicted by family factors. In particular, maternal support and secure attachment were positively correlated with self-compassion, whereas maternal criticism and unsteady preoccupied and disorganized attachment styles were negatively associated with self-compassion.Unexpectedly, there was no relation found between the precarious dismissing attachment style and self-compassion. The results regarding attachment styles were interpreted using Bartholomews model of attachment styles (Bartholomew & Horowitz, 1991). Bartholomews model (Bartholomew & Horowitz, 1991) characterizes four different prototypic attachment styles of adolescence and adulthood, jibe to ones views of the self (dependence dimension) and others (avoidance dimension) as either negative or positive.Secure attachment, corresponding with low dependency, low avoidance, and a positive view of both(prenominal)(prenominal) self an d other, involves being trusting and gentle with intimacy and autonomy. Having a secure sense of self-worth and trusting others to be supportive may have facilitated the development of self-compassion among adolescents in Neff and McGeehees (in press) study. Insecure preoccupied attachment corresponds with low avoidance, high dependence, a positive view of others, but a negative self-image, and is characterized by clinginess, jealousy, and being preoccupied with relationships.Insecure dismissing attachment is distinguished by low dependence, high avoidance, a positive view of the self, a negative view of others, and involves inflating self-worth, being prevent dependent, and being dismissing of intimacy and the importance of relationships. disorganise or fearful attachment involves suspiciousness of others, social withdrawal, feelings of inadequacy, fear of intimacy, and corresponds with high avoidance, high dependency, and a negative view of both the self and others.The anxious ness about deserve care or not expecting support from others in relationships may hinder individuals with insecure attachment styles from developing self-compassion. Given the findings from Neff and McGeehees (in press) research, the characteristics of secure attachment should promote the development of self-compassion. Namely, a positive self-image may help form a sense of self-worth that should in turn lead to self-kindness. In addition, being able to trust others helps form a connection with others that may foster common humanity.Conversely, the characteristics of insecure attachment may mob the development of self-compassion. Doubting ones worth and lacking trust in others suggest a lack of an emotional foundation necessary for self-compassionate thought (Neff & McGeehee, in press). Similarly, dependency on others to feel good about oneself may prevent the ability to accept oneself, which is a necessary have got of self-compassion (Neff & McGeehee, in press). Futhermore, cons idering the relation of early attachment to positive developmental outcomes (Sroufe, 2005 Scroufe et al, 005), attachment conceivably contributes to the development of self-compassion. Attachment is important in initiating the development of adaptive psychological functioning (Sroufe, 2005 Scroufe et al, 2005). Self-compassion is a healthy self-attitude, which promotes positive mental health outcomes (Neff, 2009). Therefore, the development of a self-compassionate outlook should emanate from early attachment. Neff and McGeehees (in press) findings are the first to establish a relationship between attachment and self-compassion.However, Neff and McGeehees (in press) study is limited in that it they did not examine how attachment promotes self-compassion, due to its cross-sectional and correlational design. The study was restricted to adolescents and unripened adults, and used self-report data rather than observational measures. As a result, only the status of the attachment relatio nship and level of self-compassion present in adolescence were assessed. Further research is necessary to wonder the role of parental attachment in the development of self-compassion.It is of crucial importance to identify the early factors and processes associated with attachment formation which could promote the development of self-compassion among children. Following this, there is also a need to create a measure for self-compassionate thinking and behaviour among children. Being self-compassionate may involve different thoughts and behaviours according to ones age or stage of development. In order investigate the development of self-compassion, it is essential to be able to recognize and measure self-compassion among children.Findings from such prospective research can be used to help advertise healthy attachment, perhaps through parent sensitivity training, and educate parents how to foster self-compassionate thinking and attitudes in their children. References Ainsworth, M. S. (1979). sister-mother attachment. American Psychologist, 34, 932-937. Arnett, J. J. (2007). Adolescence and emerging adulthood A cultural approach. burthen River, NJ Pearson/Prentice Hall. Bartholomew, K. , & Horowitz, L. M. (1991). Attachment styles among young adults A test of a four-category model. Journal of constitution and neighborly Psychology, 61, 226-244.Baumeister, R. F. , Campbell, J. D. , Krueger, J. I. , & Vohs, K. D. (2003). Does high self-esteem cause better performance, interpersonal success, happiness, or healthier lifestyles? Psychological Science In The man Interest, 4, 1-44. 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