Final answer:
Children can develop feelings of security after traumatic events through the receipt of unconditional love and acceptance from caregivers, leading to the formation of secure attachments.
Step-by-step explanation:
According to Horney's theories, children can develop feelings of security in spite of traumatic events when they receive unconditional love and acceptance. This is based on the idea that children need sensitive and responsive caregivers to form secure attachments, which serve as a secure base for exploring their environment and for seeking out in times of stress. Securely attached children, as identified by Ainsworth and later work by Bowlby, show distress when their caregivers leave but are happy upon their return, indicating that this bond provides resilience against anxiety and trauma.
Horney proposed three coping styles for dealing with anxiety: Moving towards people that relies on affiliation and dependence; moving against people based on aggression and assertiveness; and moving away from people, which involves detachment and isolation. The healthiest and most effective way to ensure that children can overcome traumatic events and develop a sense of security, however, is through the provision of unconditional love and acceptance by their caregivers, which corresponds to fostering a secure attachment style.