Hi Pam,
Abuse or neglect usually does not prevent the development of attachment. It 
does however, usually mean that the attachment is not secure and this is 
usually evident in the Strange Situation. Insecurity of attachment is not 
necessary pathological; an anxious or avoidant attachment is not associated 
with increased risk of pathology. However, a disorganised attachment (the 
third type of insecure attachment) is a risk factor for serious mental 
illness like borderline personality disorder. My interest in this...children 
with a history of abuse or neglect who are then placed in alternative care 
via adoption or fostering are a very vulnerable group. They require a higher 
level of "good enough" parenting in order to avoid developing a disorganised 
attachment. They require that their caregivers be sensitive to them but also 
that they not accept their rejecting behaviours at face value because they 
very often attempt to push away their new parents...bringing this back to 
the topic of Lactnet...this means that in situations where the mother wishes 
to breastfeed that it won't happen straight away, the child will not be able 
to accept the closeness and intimacy required, however, this is also the 
reason why breastfeeding is so valuable to that dyad, this is why it is 
worth working on. It's a balancing act. My article discussing this is at
http://www.internationalbreastfeedingjournal.com/content/1/1/5
Karleen Gribble
Australia


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Pam MazzellaDiBosco" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Monday, October 06, 2008 11:18 PM
Subject: Re: A problem with AP


There are levels of attachment aand some theorists would say there is more
to attachment than the Stranger Situation. We do know that there can be
emotional damage done by some forms of parenting. I am sure I would have
passed the Stranger Situation test as a baby, but I assure you my mother
neglected us and abused us from infancy until we were to big for her to do 
so,
and yet we love her because she is our mom. 

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