Understanding Children from Adversity: Emotional Development and Attachment

The report is focused on the link of Adversity with several life concerns that create an impact on future development under professional, personal as well as psychological context. It presents the effects of emotion, attachment and temperament based on the case scenario of Alex.

Running head: UNDERSTANDING CHILDREN FROM ADVERSITY
Understanding children from adversity
Name of the Student:
Name of the University:
Author Note:

1UNDERSTANDING CHILDREN FROM ADVERSITY
Executive Summary
The report is focused on the link of Adversity with several life concerns that create an impact
on future development under professional, personal as well as psychological context. In this
context, the report has criticised the experience of problematic anxiety could create the
negative impact on child development. In order to address this concern with more clarity, the
report has presented the effects of emotion, attachment and temperament based on the case
scenario of Alex. As per the situation, Alex is a Metis child, and his parents have a medical
history of mental illness. Therefore, the chance of trance generational effect also criticised in
this report. However, Alex has experienced different emotional issues due to constant support
from parental care and other supportive caregivers. This report has identified significant
problems, which Alex has faced from his primary care setting during several years. In the
concluding statement, the report has evaluated a recommended idea to resolve the issues on
child development under the concept of attachment, the theory of mind and emotional
dependence.

2UNDERSTANDING CHILDREN FROM ADVERSITY
Table of Contents
Introduction................................................................................................................................3
Emotional development during infancy.....................................................................................3
Child's emotional development as a toddler...............................................................................5
Attachment in infancy and toddlerhood.....................................................................................7
Dependency needs as an infant..................................................................................................9
Emotional development at pre-school......................................................................................10
Temperament............................................................................................................................10
Trans-generational effects and their relevance........................................................................12
Summary of emotional history.................................................................................................13
Possible future developments...................................................................................................14
Conclusion................................................................................................................................14
Reference list............................................................................................................................16

3UNDERSTANDING CHILDREN FROM ADVERSITY
Introduction
Adversity is related to the several life concerns that create the impact on future
development under professional, personal as well as psychological context. In this context,
the experience of problematic anxiety could create the negative effect on child developing
from various constraints. These constraints are specific to depression and psychological
difficulties. Very often Children suffer from the severe issue from the set of a complicated
relationship, which includes parental care, educational policy setting as well as peer culture.
In this environment, babies are learning about the social task, and that create significant
changes in their growth as well as mental development. In order to address this concern with
more clarity, report will present the impact of emotion, attachment and temperament based on
the case scenario of Alex.
As per the case scenario, He is a Metis child and his mother was adopted, while her
heritage was unclear. At that time her family believes that, she may be indigenous in that
environment. On the other sight, Alex’s parents have the medical history of mental illness. It
has been reported that his they have been separated from relation several times before Alex’s
birth. However, he was apprehended by the Quebec’s Child protection care due to health
issues of her biological mother. Yet, Alex has experienced different emotional problems due
to constant support from parental responsibility and other supportive caregivers. This report
will identify significant issues, which Alex has faced from his primary care setting during
several years. Moreover, the discussion will reflect a recommendation way for resolving
childcare issues in response to emotional dependence and parental attachment.
Emotional development during infancy
Child development could be changed in different ways during the time of pre-school
year. In this time, child develops emotionally, socially and cognitively. According to Bale

4UNDERSTANDING CHILDREN FROM ADVERSITY
(2015), children respond to different kind of feelings, which could be occurred from their
daily life experience. It creates significant impact on their behaviour and further
understandings for coping up well in future life. In this context, emotional development is
required to manage their way of understanding. It has been visualised that developmental
growth of every child is affected from different kind of situation. It is caused due to their
complicated emotional life.
Prenatal condition
As per the case scenario, Alex’s parents have a medical history of mental disorder. It
has been also reported that his parents have separated different times from their relationship
before their son’s birth. Therefore, there is a chance of trans-generational effect on offspring,
which may affect Alex’s mental condition. According to Van der Kolk (2017), such mental
conditions could be transmitted to the offspring by means of hereditary disorder. Therefore, it
could hamper his both childhood, toddlerhood and adulthood life.
Perinatal condition and concerned behavioural status
Quebec Childcare has apprehended Alex, while her mother has begun to experience
postpartum psychosis. As a result, the boy gradually separated from her mother’s attachment
and had been taken to the care-custody. During the custody of his father, his mother
continued the periodic visit to Alex, but this visit was terminated while she was hospitalised
due to her health issues. Therefore, it was the first beginning, where the Child has faced
abandonment and loss of primary parental care. Concerning this background, emotional
development could be a complicated task that starts in the infancy and sustaining until the
rest of life. Britto et al., (2017) argued that various things influence children’s emotion
employing behaviour and words.

5UNDERSTANDING CHILDREN FROM ADVERSITY
Figure 1: Prenatal situation and its impact
Source: (Van der Kolk, 2017)
In the later period, it has been reported that Alex's father was arrested on the charge of
assaulting his son at a local hockey arena. His father kicked him, and he falls from the stairs.
After that, Alex has withdrawn again from his parental care. As a result, he becomes mentally
weak, and psychologists reported that the boy is anxious and emotionally undeveloped. In
addition, the sign of depression also became evident. Therefore, the prenatal situation has
created the negative impact on Alex from the context of emotional effect, which makes him
aggressive. Due to lack of parental capacity, the child could not express their views about
what they feel within complex situation (Cirelli, Einarson & Trainor, 2014). Parents could
tune into child’s emotions, and they can set the limit on inappropriate expression or emotions.
However, Alex could not get proper support regarding this factor into early life situation.
Child's emotional development as a toddler
Factors create an impact on emotional development
Primar ypare nt alcare
Lack o fpare nt alcap aci ty
Anx iou s
Emo tio nallyund ev elop
ed

6UNDERSTANDING CHILDREN FROM ADVERSITY
Children could get a sense of safety, encouragement and comfort within the
environment of loving relationships. Parents or caregivers could teach the toddlers about the
way of communication, emotional control and friend making. Through their support, toddlers
can recognise how to cope up with different kind of challenges. In this context, Cook et al.,
(2017) commented that strong bonding between parents and children could develop trust,
compassion, empathy and the sense or right decision. However, in the case study scenario,
Alex has lost his attachment from her mother into prenatal period.
Figure 2: Factors create an impact on emotional development
Source: (Grant et al., 2015)
In the late period when he was seven years old, he started living in the new province
of his father. It has been reported that there was a regular verbal dispute between Alex's
father and stepmother. As per the report, her stepmother gradually unable to cope up with the
family due to various kind of issues. At that time, his father's mental health was declining
progressively while the prescribed medication is stopped. Therefore, several disputes are
hampering the parental relationship. Several report has been also displayed about Alex's
Tr
u
st
Compassi
on
Empathy

7UNDERSTANDING CHILDREN FROM ADVERSITY
aggressive behaviour in the school. However, his parents have not provided the proper
response in response to these incidents. Therefore, parental care setting is not sufficient to
maintain the responsibility for the toddler.
Theoretical implication
Parents are not properly attentive to observe their child’s behaviour. In this context,
parents have to empathise with the child’s frustration. Grant et al., (2015) commented that
consequence is needed to be identified in response to child behaviour. In this context, the
theory of mind needs to be criticised for recognising his ability under different mental status.
According to Licata et al., (2014), this theory is related to intention, personal desire and
emotion. For every social interaction, it is crucial to judge other's behaviour. Very often
caregivers could not pay attention to the child behaviour properly. Due to this concern, the
child can also suffer hyperactivity disorder and this the cause of Alex's aggressiveness during
toddler period. In the later period, such experience could create the negative impact because
Alex could not express his personal feeling and secondary needs from the care caregiver.
This scenario is visualised due to unstable care environment and complex life condition.
In the report, it has been documented that, Alex has told in school that his stepmother
bits him. Therefore, He is facing negative consequences within his parental care and that
affects his mental development. He cannot acknowledge his feeling and dependencies and
other requirements. On the other hand, his emotional development is hampered while he was
separated from his biological mother. This scenario could be criticised as per the argument of
Grossmann (2015). Between two to five years old, child is facing emotional changes from the
struggle from impulse, feeling and action. However, Alex's father has shown disruptive
behaviour to his son, and that hamper the positive relation. As a result, responsibilities for a
toddler is not maintained properly.

8UNDERSTANDING CHILDREN FROM ADVERSITY
Attachment in infancy and toddlerhood
Possible attachment type based on the situation
Attachment is most circumscribed aspect within the relationship between caregiver
and child; it is required to make the child safe, protected and secure. In the opinion of
Hestenes et al., (2015), the attachment is not related to entertaining the child. Through proper
attachment, the caregiver could set the limit for the child. In this context, the parent also plays
the role of a playmate. Within this environment, a child could explore about their necessity
on comfort and safety (ATP report 2013).
Figure 3: Type of Attachment
Source: (Yousafzai et al., 2014)
Infant-parent attachment is divided into several types under organised and disorganised
context. In the case scenario, the importance of attachment could be analysed with more
clarity. From the childhood, Alex has faced different kind of obligations that have withdrawn
him from primary parental care setting. In this context, the importance of attachment is
discussed to determine the caregiver’s response to the infant. During the first six months,
children shape their behaviour in accordance with their caregiver. In this prospect, it has been

9UNDERSTANDING CHILDREN FROM ADVERSITY
visualised that Alex's parents have a mental problem and their relationship is not sustainable
due to verbal disputes. These factors also repeated while Alex has started to live with his
stepmom. Therefore, Alex does not have any suitable attachment for daily interaction with
the caregivers. Very often caregiver emotion adversely affects child mind as found in this
case scenario.
Alex father has complained that her wife emotionally abused him. It has also
complained that his stepmother abused with his son. In response to this complaint, Alex’s
stepmother confirmed that she was often frustrated and physically aggressive to them. Social
workers reported that Alex becomes in traumatic condition due to certain change of his
environment. In this context, Jessen & Grossmann (2015) commented that infants cry within
the first six months. This affects the attachment relationship between the caregiver and the
infants. Very often, caregivers become frustrated rather than shaking a baby. Therefore, a
child cannot express their feeling free, and that creates a negative impact on mental
development. Thus, there is possible chance of disorganised attachment due to the occurrence
of behavioural as well as an emotional problem as visualised in the given scenario.
Dependency needs as an infant
Instrumental need and its relation to mental satisfaction
Human need is often counted and classified based on the pyramidal hierarchy. In this
context, children probably prefer comfort along with food. Children often lack a safe place to
live, where they can get adequate care utilising attachment and support. Lyons-Ruth (2015)
commented that children often face difficulties with the society due to famine as well as
insecure conditions. In order to survive, infants have to develop themselves through the
support of caregivers, who can give them all security, safety and physiological needs. For
instance, if other leaves his or her child hunger and does not cuddle, then the child can

10UNDERSTANDING CHILDREN FROM ADVERSITY
observe that environment is entirely different, where he or she is neglected. As per the case
study, Alex’s primary care setting was not comfortable because in the early life he has been
undertaken in a different in a care setting due to the absence of parental care. Therefore, he
has not got any opportunity to get his different kind of needs. As a result, he has not been
satisfied with his childhood environment, and it creates an impact on his mental development
by means of behavioural perspective.
Emotional development at pre-school
Children start discovering themselves as independent beings the age of three to four.
In this time, they have distinct likes and dislikes based on their growing personality. They
cannot control their feelings accurately but can understand themselves. In this time, Child has
to adjust themselves with not only academic achievements but also social-emotional
development. If children feel right, then they can successfully interact with other. As per the
case scenario, Alex is quite delayed in response to the academic purpose, and he is quite
aggressive to other children during his preschool. Besides, Alex has displayed inappropriate
sexualised behaviour with others children. Therefore, Alex's mental condition is hampered
due to negative childhood environment, where he cannot get the proper assistance of a
caregiver.
According to Licata et al., (2014), children are naturally social and have proper
interest to interact with others. In this context, Children may be anxious, shy and aggressive
due to their current social situation. In this variation differences in temperament is addressed
for building their confidence. In the school environment, they can resolve their skill gap
through recognising the level of need. In the given scenario, Alex has faced a challenging
situation that destructs his personal belongings, aggression and angry outbursts. For that
reason, separate learning care was provided to him to motivate his development on right

11UNDERSTANDING CHILDREN FROM ADVERSITY
track. Most pre-schoolers can express their basic emotions and need, but Alex could not do
that due to lack of proper attachment from caregivers.
Temperament
Current stage of temperament and its relation to child behaviour
Temperament is considered as the difference between the individual based on the
context of reaction with social surroundings. For instance, difficult temperament is visualised
while infant faces the risk of behavioural as well as the emotional issue. These issues are
occurred while the surrounding environment us uncooperative and sometimes irritable. As
commented by Missana, Atkinson & Grossmann (2015), various infant factors like the socio-
economic status of the family could create an adverse impact on child life. These risks cannot
be detected during three to 4 year age-period. However, in the later period, this status is
gradually recognized. As per the Psychologist’s report sign of depression is reported along
with the associated condition of undeveloped emotion as well as anxiety. He is also
academically weak due to delayed mental ability.
Stage of
tempera
ment
Traumatisat
ion
Behavioural
and
emotional
difficulties
Low-
adaptability

12UNDERSTANDING CHILDREN FROM ADVERSITY
Figure 4: Stage of temperament
Source: (Kinniburgh et al., 2017)
In this context, anxiety could be related to distress, fearfulness and unhappiness.
According to Romano et al., (2017), anxiety problems could increase over time. Therefore,
Alex is under severe mental issue during the early life stage. In the case study, social workers
reported that Alex had faced repeated traumatisation due to unstable care setting
environment. Due to that, he is referred under the counselling from CYMH (Child and Youth
Mental Health Services). Therefore, it has been visualised that the boy has a higher level of
behavioural and emotional difficulties during the period of infancy. Alex is prone to negative
emotional expression, which is the underlying cause of his high reactivity, anger and low-
adaptability. In the later period, these conditions are persisting. It has been reported that Alex
has complained to social workers, friends and families about his experience in different care
placement. He has complained about the severe maltreatment, where he cannot cope up with
the different care environment. He cannot get proper need from the caregivers. Therefore, his
early life condition has shown a negative impact on later life, where he cannot adjust to the
society due to the frustrated mental state. Temperament condition is a first perspective here to
recognise child’ compatibility with the current environment.
Relation of temperament with ‘goodness of fit.'
In the viewpoint of Stein et al., (2014), this compatibility is related to the "goodness
of fit'', which are of two types. One is related to the interaction way with the individual
through traits, and another is the impact of trait on the individual. In this case-scenario,
afterbirth, the boy has faced separation from his parental care and cannot get the proper
attachment with the caregivers. As a result, he cannot get proper guidance to know the way of
right decisional track, interaction and learning. In addition, surrounding environment was not

13UNDERSTANDING CHILDREN FROM ADVERSITY
supportive of him and that is the cause of his temperament as mentioned earlier. These factors
are the primary cause, which marked the situation as not comfortable for Alex. These factors
could adversely affect his adult life as well.
Trans-generational effects and their relevance
Trans-generational effects are related to the role of maternal behaviour. Infant mental
separation and early life stress are the primary cause of the impaired emotional behaviour.
Very often, this issue persists and become a deficit in executive cognitive function in the
adult stage. Genetic background has a direct impact on this. As per the case scenario, Alex's
parents have extensive medical illness history, and there is a chance of transmission of these
genetic factors to the offspring. Treatment is available for preventing the emergence of
cognitive deficits in mother; this prevention is sufficient to prevent the occurrence of such
deficiency in their offspring. In this study, Alex has faced stress in his early life environment
from the parental care environment. Tournaire et al., (2016) commented that early life stress
could trigger significant changes in the behaviour and gene expression that can persist into
adulthood. Infant maternal separation is the most dominated reason for such severe
constraints. Alex’s mental condition is unstable due to inadequate maternal responsibility
during postnatal care. As a result, he has suffered increased anxiety as well as depression in
the toddler stage. Therefore, there is the possible reason of Trans-generation effect that
perhaps occurred in Alex's case.
Summary of emotional history
This section sheds light on the entire overview on Alex’s emotional condition for
understanding possible recommendation to shape his cognitive development. As per the case
scenario, Alex has been brought up by Quebec Child protection service, while his mother
began to experience postpartum psychosis. His mother could not visit her son due to long-

14UNDERSTANDING CHILDREN FROM ADVERSITY
term health issues. Therefore, Alex has experienced infant maternal separation during early
life stage. Such abandonment and loss have hampered his entire development under
emotional perspectives. After that he has been taken in his father custody, his father was
arrested while he kicked his son in the back at a local hockey arena. In the school time, he
was aggressive to other child, and he is under depression. Therefore, he is mentally weak and
frustrated due to unstable acre setting environment. In the later period, he also faced such
situation, while his father and stepmother are involved in verbal disputes. In addition,
stepmother sometimes becomes violent to Alex due to her frustrating situation. In this
condition, Alex cannot get proper emotional support from his parents to adjust to the society.
As a result, the possibility of impaired emotional development has occurred.
Possible future developments
The developmental domain of child is considered under different categorical terms
based on different policy. For instance, self-regulation and learning have both emotional and
cognitive dimension. According to Van den Berg & Pinger (2016), mental health is related to
the child's socio-emotional competencies. As illustrated in the case scenario, Alex has
experienced lack of proper attachment from the caregivers; as a result, his desire is not
fulfilled adequately. He became frustrated with the constant environmental factors. In this
context, caregivers have to understand the requirement of cognitive development from the
background of educational and emotional insight (Child Care Act, 1972).
Infants are responsive to the words and actions of other people. Therefore, proper
attachment and joint attention are capable of creating the positive environment through
culturally transmitted knowledge. Caregivers have to understand the theory of mind, which is
significant to shape child mind. In this context, the cognitive control process is essential to
plan goal-direct activities. Through this process, children could adjust to the environment and

15UNDERSTANDING CHILDREN FROM ADVERSITY
can get socio-emotional development. It will help them to get success in all fielded like an
academic field. In this study, Alex has not proper care attachment and he observed that his
parents are always fighting. This environment adverse effect his emotional development.
Therefore, caregivers have to understand the child desire in an attentive manner. However,
the care process has not been applied as per requirement.
Therefore, attentiveness, sincerity is required to shape children mind. In addition,
caregivers have to maintain a sustainable environment for enhancing the children develop
from the context of cognitive self-regulation and socio-emotional term
Conclusion
It can be deduced that child development is adversely affected by social as well as
emotional constraints. In this case, early life stress could create the negative impact and
persist to adulthood. As per the case scenario, Alex has faced a different kind of issue from
his childhood due to the separation of maternal care and other conditions. Due to these
factors, he becomes frustrated and faced depression as per the report of Psychologists.
Therefore, caregivers have to understand the emotional need of Alex with proper sincerity. If
the environment is not suitable, the child could be, lower adaptive and depressed. In this case,
the negative impact of temperament needs to be criticised. Caregivers have to be attentive
more during the age period from birth to toddler. In this time, proper care is required to make
this child capable of coping up with all situational environment in future life.

16UNDERSTANDING CHILDREN FROM ADVERSITY
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