Recent Research Findings, More Children Develop Safe Participation

Illustration of the entanglement of children and parents who are safe (Freepik/zinkevych)

YOGYAKARTA How close a child is to parents, can be tested via behavioral tests. Most recently, psychologists developed a test to measure the entanglement between children and their parents. One of the tests carried out was an observational procedure in which mothers or fathers left their children with strangers in the room or alone. This test is called The Strange Situation Test and psychologist analyzes children's behavior while their parents are in the room, leaving, when children are alone with strangers, and parents are back.

Based on the behavior of children in these situations, there are four types of entanglement. First, a safe attachment, where children are bound safely and protest when parents leave the room. When parents return to the room, secure attachment style in their children, their characteristics are quickly returning to seek safety and comfort with their parents.

Second, avoidance in entanglement because children avoid contact with their parents. The three resistances, of which children are unhappy when their parents leave but angry or passive when they return. The fourth entanglement, disorganization, in which children show conflicting or confused behavior and cannot be classified in the other three categories.

According to a study published in the journal American Psychological Association (APA), the results of 285 data and research from 20,000 parents, a safe style of entanglement is the most common or owned by 51.6 percent. Obviously Sheri Madigan from the University of Calgary reported by Psychology Today, June 20, about 23.5 percent of children showed irregular styles of entanglement, 14.7 percent avoided style, and 10.2 percent resistance style.

The distribution of the results is very significant and is not influenced by the age and gender of children. Researchers then explore what causes the style of entanglement to be insecure. First, the sociodemographic factor is acceptable. Like the low economic level, it is increasingly at high risk of showing avoidable and irregular entanglement than children from families who have higher income.

The second factor that influences is the mental condition of parents. Children whose parents have mental illness have a higher chance of showing irregular attachment than children with two mentally healthy parents.

In addition to the two factors above, children experiencing abuse, adoption from orphanages, also have a higher chance of showing irregular entanglement. Through the results of the data obtained, the researchers concluded that safe entanglement between children and parents is mostly owned by children and parents with lower stress levels.