Major findings from the NICHD Study point to the crucial role of sensitive and responsive caregiving for secure attachment, influencing children's social and emotional development, and laying a strong foundation for their future relationships and behavior.
The NICHD Study of Early Child Care and Youth Development yielded significant findings on the impacts of early child care on various aspects of children's lives. This study addressed key questions about mother-child attachment, child development, and social relationships. A pivotal part of the research focused on how early interactions and attachments influence later behavior and development; it underscored the importance of sensitive and responsive caregiving for the establishment of secure attachments.
Secure attachment, identified by Mary Ainsworth through the Strange Situation procedure, plays a critical role in a child's social and emotional development. Children with secure attachments generally had caregivers who consistently met their emotional needs, thereby providing a strong foundation for exploring their environment comfortably.
The study's findings are consistent with the work of researchers like John Bowlby and Harry Harlow, who highlighted the importance of emotional bonds and the provision of comfort and security in early development, beyond the simple satisfaction of physiological needs such as nourishment.
Furthermore, this body of research suggests that early child care can influence gender role development and the formation of gender stereotypes, as suggested by the work of researchers such as Chick, Heilman-Houser, and Hunter. The overarching conclusion of studies in this area is the crucial role that attachment plays in psychosocial development during children's formative years.