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Social & Emotional Development
Developing Trust & Emotional Security
WiseTip: SE-TRU-M0003-E01A

Provide a comfort object like a blanket, favourite toy or pacifier to comfort your baby when with an unfamiliar caregiver.

1, 2, 3

  1. New Jersey Birth to Three Early Learning Standards. (2013). New Jersey Council for Young Children.

  2. Passman, R. H. (1976). Arousal reducing properties of attachment objects: Testing the functional limits of the security blanket relative to the mother. Developmental Psychology, 12, 468-469. (Level III)

  3. Ybarra, G. J., Passman, R. H., & Eisenberg, C. S. (2000). The Presence of Security Blankets or Mothers (or Both) Affects Distress During Paediatric Examinations; Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 68, 322-330.

[NOTE: This tip was described here to show what could be included under the ‘Environment’ context. It may be more relevant for children who are slightly older as we were unable to find studies which featured infants at birth on this issue of giving transition objects to the child].

0-3 months
Environment
WHY IT MATTERS

Having consistent caregivers is crucial in helping a baby develop

secure attachments

Secure Attachment - The infants use the parent as a secure base. When separated, they may or may not cry, but if they do, it is because the parent is absent, and they prefer her to the stranger. When the parent returns, they actively seek contact, and their crying is reduced immediately.1

1. Berk, L. E. (2013). Child development (9th ed.). New Jersey, USA: Pearson Education.

. A stable network of adults (including infant
educarers

Educarers - Educarers facilitate learning and development of children aged birth to three. Educarers accommodate and respond to the needs of young children, by providing a secure environment and implementing a developmentally and culturally appropriate curriculum through respectful, responsive, and reciprocal interactions. Educarers promote trusting and respectful relationships with young children.1

1. ECDA. (2013). Early years development framework for child care centres. (2013). Singapore: Early Childhood Development Agency.

) with consistent caregiving methods can provide responsive care to help the baby form secure attachments.
1
  1. Goossens, F., & Van IJzendoorn, M. (1990). Quality of Infants' Attachments to Professional Caregivers: Relation to Infant-Parent Attachment and Day-Care Characteristics. Child Development, 61(3), 832-837. doi:10.2307/1130967

In the absence of a caregiver, transition objects sometimes help the child alleviate anxiety if the items are associated with the caregiver to whom the child is securely attached.

2
  1. Passman, R. H. (1976). Arousal reducing properties of attachment objects: Testing the functional limits of the security blanket relative to the mother. Developmental Psychology, 12, 468-469. (Level III)
In one study of children above three years old, researchers examined the use of security blankets during a paediatric examination.
3
  1. Ybarra, G. J., Passman, R. H., & Eisenberg, C. S. (2000). The Presence of Security Blankets or Mothers (or Both) Affects Distress During Paediatric Examinations; Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 68, 322-330.
 Children accompanied by a caregiver during the examination were less distressed than when they had a security blanket. However, these findings are inconclusive as some cultures that have consistent caregivers present did not use comfort objects with children.

Another study found that around 50% of American children and approximately 20% of Korean children developed an attachment to a blanket or an equivalent type of primary transitional object. The research concluded that cultural differences in child-rearing practices influence both the incidence of infants’ attachment to inanimate objects and perhaps the choice of attachment objects.

4
  1. Hong, K. M & Townes, B. (1976). Infants' Attachment to Inanimate Objects: A Cross-Cultural Study. Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry. 15 (1): 49 61. doi:10.1016/S0002-7138(09)62260-3. ISSN 0890-8567.
When the child is in a secure attachment with the caregiver, a security object is secondary. However it can prove useful during transition when child is going to another caregiver before that attachment relationship is established.