THE IMPACT OF TRAUMATIC CHILDHOOD EXPERIENCES ON THE QUALITY OF ATTACHMENT

Abstract

This article provides a theoretical analysis of the problem of traumatic experience as a consequence of child abuse by mothers and fathers. The basic concept of the traumatic experience analysis is attachment. It is emphasised that in modern psychological science, attachment is considered as the main concept that describes the child's attitude to a close adult, which in early ontogeny is usually the mother. The article notes that the phenomenon of a child's attachment to the mother is in the focus of researchers' attention as a factor in the quality of human relationships. At the same time, attachment is of great importance for the formation of efficient maternal behaviour, adaptation of the child to the world around him or her, and his or her harmonious development. At the same time, the attachment between an infant and a caring adult is not innate, but must be formed during the first year of a child's life and is determined by the mother's position, her ability to compassion and emotional support. Accordingly, this time is decisive and determinative in the formation of attachment of various qualities (Ainswarth), which further leads to the development of the child's cognitive, communicative, emotional capabilities, which will directly affect the peculiarities of his or her social adaptation. The article proves the idea that a child has a great need for a healthy attachment to the mother. Among the factors contributing to the formation of a secure attachment, comfort and systematic satisfaction of the child's basic needs are essential. It is noted that inappropriate child care, inadequate responses to a child's cry, coldness on the part of the mother, and insensitivity can cause serious emotional disturbances to the child's psyche, even leading to traumatic experiences. Based on the analysis of modern research, it has been found that attachment trauma turns into an overwhelming experience of feeling lonely in a situation of unbearable emotional state or the realisation that attachment itself is the cause of enormous distress. It is worth noting that major parenting problems are empirically linked to numerous adverse psychosocial stressors, such as severe chronic marital conflict, perinatal loss of a previous child, a child with a disability, postpartum depression/ psychosis, parental psychiatric morbidity, and violent environments.