Parental Attachment and the Development of Self-Compassion

paternal hamper and the Development of Self-Compassion The Positive Psychology movement focuses on identifying contraceptive factors that promote well creation and protect people from the disconfirming mental set up relate to lifes everyday challenges. Research increasingly fends self-compassion as a key comp iodinnt in corroboratory mental health outcomes. However, very few studies have understandd factors that lead to the evolution of self-compassion. Attachment is cognise to contri furthere to the development of healthy hearty and emotional development (Sroufe, Egeland, Carlson, & Collins, 2005).Theoretically, agnatic accompaniment should promote the development of self-compassion. Attachment is described as the socio-emotional truss surrounded by individual(a)s (Wicks-Nelson & Isreal, 2009). Healthy parental adhesion develops in the first division of life through consistent, sensitive, and responsive parenting from a st competent angel dust (Ainsprice, 1979 Barnas & Cummings, 1994 Sroufe, 2005). The trammel relationship with a caregiver is an essential component in dowry to mastermind the nameation for healthy personality and functioning in society.For example, appendix is known to influence cognitive top executive, development of conscience, coping skills, relationship skills, and the ability to handle perceived threats and negative emotions (Sroufe et al. , 2005 Wicks-Nelson & Isreal, 2009). In a re experience of the atomic number 25 work, Sroufe (2005) mellowedlights the importance of archaean trammel in the developmental course. The Minnesota account was a 30-year longitudinal developmental study, commencing in the 1970s, which followed individuals from before birth until matureness. The chief(prenominal) purpose of the study was to evaluate the major propositions of attachment theory (Sroufe, 2005, p. 49). The autochthonic goal of the study was to test Bowlbys hypotheses that (1) quality of caregiver-infant attachmen t is influenced by the interaction history with the caregiver, (2) individual differences in personality can be explained by variations in the quality of early attachment, and (3) secure attachment is related to the development of self-reliance, emotion regulation, and social competence. The quality of infant-caregiver attachment was assessed through ceremony at 12 and 18 months, using Ainsworths Strange patch procedure.Many outcome variables, or patterns of behaviour, were extensively measured using non-homogeneous methods (questionnaires, observation, standardized testing, parental and t separatelyer reports) at several ages including infancy, preschool years, puerility, adolescence, and emerging adulthood. During the preschool years outcomes such as self-regulation, curiosity, and effective entry into peer group were measured. In middle school, measures of real-world competence, loyal friendships, coordination of friendship, and group functioning were examined.During adolesce nce identity, tightness, and self-reflection were assessed. The findings from the Minnesota study provided substitute for Bowlbys hypotheses (Sroufe, 2005). First, it was demo that secure attachment is directly related to a history of sensitive, emotionally engaged, and cooperative interaction with a caregiver. Also as Bowlby suggested, secure attachment predicted the development of self-reliance such that individuals who apply their caregiver as a secure base to explore during infancy, were later more independent.Moreover, secure attachment predicted adaptive emotion regulation as demonstrated by securely attached individuals having more self-confidence, high self-conceit, more ego-resiliency (ability to adjust), unyielding and flexible coping strategies, and displaying affect appropriate to situations. Finally, strong links were found between secure attachment and measures of social competence from early childhood through adulthood. Individuals with secure attachment were assessed as significantly better on measures such as expectation of relationships, engagement with others, skill in interaction, empathy, and leading qualities.Sroufe (2005) suggests these findings indicate the critical importance of attachment because it plays an initiating role in the pathways of development and is related to crucial developmental functions. Thus, attachment is associated with adaptive psychological development. oneness construct associated with supportive mental health outcomes, and in consequence is in all likelihood to be engendered by attachment, is self-compassion. Self-compassion is a self-attitude that originates from Buddhist philosophy and has recently begun to bulge in Western psychology research.Neff (2003a) has proposed that self-compassion plays an important role in psychological health and describes self-compassion as extending kindness and caring towards ones self. As the term itself insinuates, self-compassion inculpates treating oneself with compassion, especially when experiencing negative odourings and events. Being compassionate towards oneself entails being able to forgive ones perceived failures and shortcomings, accepting oneself as benevolent and therefore as limited and not perfect, and also desiring wellbeing for oneself.Neff (2003a) conceptualized self-compassion as comprising three components self-kindness, car park humanity, and mindfulness. Self-kindness refers to extending kindness and understanding to oneself rather than being raspingly self-critical and judgmental. Being less judgmental of oneself should also minimize judgment of others. everyday humanity is the ability to view negative experiences and limitations as a shared out aspect of the larger human experience, instead of seeing experiences as separating and isolating. Consequentially, common humanity also 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 linked such that they each promote one another. Research has established and continues to support the benefits of self-compassion. Indeed, there is usher that self-compassion is associated with emotional intelligence, intrinsic motive, emotion focused coping strategies, and life expiation (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 responsibility for ones mistakes, and in turn being motivated to change maladaptive thoughts and behaviors (Neff, 2003a Leary, Tate, Adams, Allen, & Hancock, 2007). pass onmore, 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 perceived to be distinct from and more beneficial than self-esteem (Leary et al. , 2007). Self-esteem refers to our general attitude about 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 may be a better alternative to promote because it does not involve judgments about oneself 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, solely one study has demonstrated that paternal 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 makeup of ones identity or sense of self (Arnett, 2007), the first goal of Neff and McGeehees study was to determine whether self-compassion promotes the same positive mental health outcomes in adolescence as those found in adulthood. Self-compassion was expected to be related to reports of higher levels of social connectedness and lower levels of anxiety and depression. As expected, the results demonstrated that self-compassion was potently associated with low depression, low anxiety, and high feelings of connectedness.The second goal of Neff and McG eehees (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 working models of attachment. Self-report measures were used to assess self-compassion (Self-Compassion Scale), parental support (maternal subscale of the Family Messages Measure), family functioning (Index of Family Relations), and attachment (The Relationship Questionnaire).The results show that adolescents self-compassion partially mediated the relationship between their reports of mental health and maternal support, family functioning, attachment style, and adolescent egocentrism, indicating that family factors can impact wellbeing 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 insecure control and disorganised attachment styles were negatively associated with self-compassion.Unexpectedly, there was no relation found between the insecure 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 various prototypical attachment styles of adolescence and adulthood, according to ones views of the self (dependence dimension) and others (avoidance dimension) as each negative or positive.Secure attachment, corresponding with low dependency, low avoidance, and a positive view of two self and other, involves being trusting and light with intimacy and autonomy. Having a secure sense of self-worth and trusting others to be supporting may have facilitated the development of self-compassion among adolescents in Neff and Mc Geehees (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 counter dependent, and being dismissing of intimacy and the importance of relationships. Disorganized or fearful attachment involves distrust 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 anxiousness about deserving care or not expecting support from others in relationships may hinder individuals with insecure attachment styles from exploitation self-compassion. Given the findings from Neff and McGeehees (in press) research, the cha racteristics 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 impede the development of self-compassion. Doubting ones worth and lacking trust in others suggest a lack of an emotional foundation necessary for self-compassionate thinking (Neff & McGeehee, in press). Similarly, dependency on others to feel good about oneself may prevent the ability to accept oneself, which is a necessary feature of self-compassion (Neff & McGeehee, in press). Futhermore, considering 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 developmen t 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 mindset 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 schoolgirlish adults, and used self-report data rather than observational measures. As a result, only the status of the attachment relationship and level of self-compassion present in adolescence were assessed. Further research is necessary to investigate the role of parental attachment in the development of self-compassion.It is of crucial importance to identify the ea rly factors and processes associated with attachment formation which could promote the development of self-compassion among children. Following this, there is also a consider 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 tell apart and measure self-compassion among children.Findings from such prospective research can be used to help encourage healthy attachment, perhaps through parent esthesia training, and educate parents how to foster self-compassionate thinking and attitudes in their children. References Ainsworth, M. S. (1979). Infant-mother attachment. American Psychologist, 34, 932-937. Arnett, J. J. (2007). Adolescence and emerging adulthood A cultural approach. Saddle 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 Personality and well-disposed Psychology, 61, 226-244.Baumeister, R. F. , Campbell, J. D. , Krueger, J. I. , & Vohs, K. D. (2003). 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