key term - Secure Attachment

Definition

This is a type of emotional bond in which a child feels safe, protected, and comfortable with a caregiver. The child uses the caregiver as a secure base from which to explore their environment.

Related terms

Attachment Theory:

This is the psychological model describing the long-term interpersonal relationships between humans.

Primary Caregiver:

This term refers to the person who takes primary responsibility for someone who cannot fully care for themselves. In this context, it usually refers to the main person (often a parent) that a child forms an attachment with.

Separation Anxiety:

This is distress or anxiety experienced by an individual when separated from their primary caregiver or another individual with whom they have formed an attachment.