CMU Psychology Department

Although the attachment to parents plays a large role in a childs development, there are many other factors that help shape a childs expectation of the world.

Babysitters, peers, natural disasters, foster parents, or the lack of are factors that indirectly affect a childs growing character.

For example, the effects of peer pressure play a large role in a childs development if the child is often physically separated from the parent. Independent of the type of attachment the child has, the childs actions will mirror those around them. Daycare and boarding school are physical barriers that separate parent and child. In this type of environment, relationship and friendships are no longer dependent on secure attachment; but rather on the environment the child is most familiar with other than his or her immediate home.

I agree, there are simply too many factors which are independent of secure attachment to conclude that secure attachment causes well-being later in life.

I also agree that it cannot be concluded that secure attachment causes well-being; there are too many other influences, both early in life and later on, that also play a role. Children do not grow up isolated with only the presence of their parents; they interact with a variety of people and with their environments to get their expectations of the world.

-- Edited by 102intro on Thursday 5th of November 2009 02:48:08 AM

I agree. There must be more factors that shape children's later well-being life. Human life is too complicated to be defined or generalized by one factor.

-- Edited by junhol on Tuesday 10th of November 2009 02:05:06 AM

Also a definition of well being needs to be provided. This is very subjective and there are many interpretations that could change this answer