Attachment and trauma

When trying to understand the complex worlds and concerning and perplexing behaviours of young students such as Rodney, Garry and Taylor, we need to consider and combine three theories. Child development theory explains how a child's body and mind develops as he grows. Attachment theory examines the impact of early childhood bonding experiences between child and carer and trauma theory explores the impact of trauma on childhood development. In a nutshell, trauma (particularly abuse and neglect) during infancy and early childhood can have significant impact on a child's early attachment to his caregiver and this can then impact on his future behaviours, his capacity to negotiate future relationships and even his mental health. The reasoning behind this is becoming more apparent through a growing and extremely intriguing body of research. It is very much related to the impact of trauma on the developing physiology (brain and body) of the infant and young child.