It has been found that even if high-SES parents try to produce super-achieving children, they do not place their children at risk for insecure attachment by being intrusive. Select one: True False
The correct answer and explanation is:
The correct answer is True.
Research in developmental psychology suggests that high socioeconomic status (SES) parents, despite their efforts to foster highly achieving children, typically do not put their children at risk for insecure attachment. The reason lies in how attachment is formed in the parent-child relationship, particularly through sensitive caregiving, which includes responding appropriately to a child’s emotional needs.
High-SES parents often have access to greater resources, both material and educational, which enables them to invest time in learning about child development and engaging in behaviors that promote secure attachment. Unlike parents with lower SES who may face greater stress and time constraints, high-SES parents can more easily navigate their child’s developmental needs without becoming overly intrusive or neglectful. Intrusiveness, which involves being overly controlling or demanding of a child, can sometimes disrupt the secure attachment process, but high-SES parents tend to be more attuned to their child’s emotional state and are more likely to use positive reinforcement and supportive behaviors, leading to a secure attachment.
Moreover, high-SES parents are typically more informed and better equipped to create an environment that balances the child’s autonomy with parental support. This helps children feel safe and secure, which is the foundation of a secure attachment. While the pressure to achieve can sometimes create stress, research indicates that this stress does not necessarily translate into insecure attachment if the child’s emotional needs are met consistently.
In contrast, intrusive behaviors are more commonly associated with lower SES, where parents might face heightened levels of stress and fewer resources to meet both their own needs and their children’s. As a result, the child may experience more anxiety and insecurity, impacting attachment. Thus, high-SES parents’ focus on achievement does not inherently risk their children’s attachment security.