Intercountry adoption: helping a young child deal with loss

Attachment is vital for infant development, as warm social interactions support growth and well-being. In a classic 1958 study by Harry Harlow, the significance of warmth and comfort in forming attachments was examined. Harlow separated newborn monkeys from their mothers and provided two artificial "mothers": one made of cold wire and the other covered in soft cloth. Despite the wire mother offering food, the infant monkeys preferred the comfort of the cloth mother, demonstrating that physical...

Grieving is a complex psychological and emotional process that varies significantly among individuals. George Bonanno's research on bereavement identified four distinct patterns of grieving, offering a nuanced understanding of how people cope with significant loss, such as the death of a spouse, over extended periods. These patterns — resilience, recovery, chronic dysfunction, and delayed grief — highlight the diversity in emotional responses and adaptive mechanisms.
Resilience
The resilience...

Other adult family members and siblings play a crucial role in shaping children’s social and emotional development. While parents or primary caregivers are often the central figures in early attachment and socialization, other adults in a child’s life, such as grandparents, aunts, and uncles, can significantly influence developmental outcomes. These influences depend on each adult’s personality and may help compensate when a primary caregiver is emotionally distant or inconsistent. For...

The dissolution of intimate relationships presents complex emotional and psychological challenges, particularly when emotional bonds are strong, the relationship is long-standing, and perceived alternatives are limited. This distress often intensifies in romantic breakups, where the initiator may experience greater turmoil than the rejected partner. Contributing factors include residual attachment, guilt over causing pain, and uncertainty about how to manage the situation. The stress is further...

Crying is an important form of communication during infancy, and different crying patterns can signal different needs or states. Infants can produce different cries associated with hunger, anger, and pain. These patterns vary in rhythm, intensity, and onset, helping caregivers recognize what an infant may be expressing.Types of Infant CriesThe basic cry is often associated with hunger. It typically follows a rhythmic sequence of crying, a brief pause, and an inward breath. This inhalation may...

Infants often form early attachments to older siblings, using them as a source of comfort during distress. As infants become more mobile, sibling conflict commonly increases over toys, personal space, and parental attention, particularly after about 18 months.Conflict and Social LearningAs toddlers become more involved in family interactions, they learn which behaviors please or annoy their siblings. Although disagreements may involve rivalry or frustration, they can also promote...