John Bowlby- Attachment Theory Essay Example
John Bowlby: Attachment Theory
Laura Johnson
COUNS 605A
March 10, 2012
Historical Background Edward ‘John’ Mostyn Bowlby was born in London on February 26, 1907 and died in 1990, one of the middle children of six siblings, to upper class parents. John’s father was a surgeon to royalty, later knighted first Baronet, only saw the children on Sundays. John’s mother believed parental attention and affection would lead to dangerous spoiling of the children, as was customary of the day, and only saw the children a short period each day, preferring to leave the upbringing to a strict and methodical nanny and nursemaid. John was allegedly the nanny’s favorite; however, she left when he was about four. At about 11 years of age, John and his brother were sent off to a boarding school. After boarding school, John went to Dartmouth, Royal Naval College. At 17, John decided that the Navy was not fulfilling and went to Trinity College in Cambridge, to study medicine and psychology, where he graduated in 1928. Instead of clinical school, at 21 years of age John taught at a boarding school for maladjusted children. From this experience he decided to combine psychoanalytic and medical training. In 1933 at 22, John became medically qualified at University College Hospital and then decided to train in adult psychiatry at Maudsley Hospital. In 1936, and he went to train at the London Child Guidance Clinic and then became Lieutenant Colonel in the Royal Army Medical Corps in psychiatry during WWII. After that he settled into a career as Deputy Director at the Travistock Clinic, and also, in 1950, Mental Health Consultant to the World Health Organization (WHO).
Key Concepts of Attachment Theory In the late 1930’s, Bowlby attempted to create one logical theory from many ways of thinking about attachment and the issues of separation between mother and child. Bowlby believed that attachment behaviors are instinctive and evolutionary that supports the mother-child
Laura Johnson
COUNS 605A
March 10, 2012
Historical Background Edward ‘John’ Mostyn Bowlby was born in London on February 26, 1907 and died in 1990, one of the middle children of six siblings, to upper class parents. John’s father was a surgeon to royalty, later knighted first Baronet, only saw the children on Sundays. John’s mother believed parental attention and affection would lead to dangerous spoiling of the children, as was customary of the day, and only saw the children a short period each day, preferring to leave the upbringing to a strict and methodical nanny and nursemaid. John was allegedly the nanny’s favorite; however, she left when he was about four. At about 11 years of age, John and his brother were sent off to a boarding school. After boarding school, John went to Dartmouth, Royal Naval College. At 17, John decided that the Navy was not fulfilling and went to Trinity College in Cambridge, to study medicine and psychology, where he graduated in 1928. Instead of clinical school, at 21 years of age John taught at a boarding school for maladjusted children. From this experience he decided to combine psychoanalytic and medical training. In 1933 at 22, John became medically qualified at University College Hospital and then decided to train in adult psychiatry at Maudsley Hospital. In 1936, and he went to train at the London Child Guidance Clinic and then became Lieutenant Colonel in the Royal Army Medical Corps in psychiatry during WWII. After that he settled into a career as Deputy Director at the Travistock Clinic, and also, in 1950, Mental Health Consultant to the World Health Organization (WHO).
Key Concepts of Attachment Theory In the late 1930’s, Bowlby attempted to create one logical theory from many ways of thinking about attachment and the issues of separation between mother and child. Bowlby believed that attachment behaviors are instinctive and evolutionary that supports the mother-child