The Fascinating Human Brain- Part 12: Adults Feeling "Felt"

*In the last post, (please go back and read it if you're just happening across this; this post won't make sense without it) I wrote about the research from the Infant Strange Situation and what is going on in the brain's of children with different types of attachment with primary caregivers.

The same children who were studied as 1 year olds were followed and studied again as young adults.

The children with secure attachments during the first year of life were found to meet their intellectual potential, had good relationships with others, were respected by their peers, and could regulate their emotions well. Neurologically, their brains showed had good bodily regulation, attunement to others, emotional balance, response flexibility, fear modulation, empathy and insight and moral awareness.

Children with avoidant attachments grew up to be adults that were emotionally restricted, aloof, controlling and unlikeable.

Children with ambivalent attachment grew up to be highly anxious and insecure adults.

And children with disorganized attachments grew up significantly impaired in their ability to relate to others and regulate their emotions. Many had dissociative symptoms that put them at high risk for developing PTSD after truauma.

Research with adopted children shows the same patterns. In other words, attachment patterns are largely INDEPENDENT of genetic influences. Who we become as adults is shaped by many factors--genes, experience, GOD who breaks in and brings change... but anyone who doubts the influence of parents on children has to explain the weight of research on attachment.

Tomorrow is for those of you who are now saying, "OH CRAP!"

(*Again, this research comes from Mindsight by Daniel Seigel.)