The Change in Attachment Needs of Adolescents

Attachment Needs of Adolescents
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According to Daniel Siegel, attachment is how a child is solely dependent on an older individual, so they can develop the 4S, namely seen, safe, secure, and soothed (Greater Good Science Center, 2014). However, as kids grow and enter adolescence, they are characterized by significant social-psychological, mental, and neurological developments. The time they spend with their parents reduces, while with their peers increase exponentially. Parents continue to play a pivotal role in the lives of their teenage children; nevertheless, their attachment needs significantly changes toward their peers for different reasons.
Adolescents’ attachment needs to change due to a need to develop friendships. The adolescent stage is significant in a child’s life as it is where one discovers themselves. Previously, parents were a source of comfort, security, socialization, love, and friendship. However, with the significant transformation in neurological structure and social-psychological development, their attachment needs shift to peers. Peers are a source of friendships, romantic relationships, information, and self-discovery (Santrock, 2014). Through such friends, one discovers who they are, what type of people they want around them, and the kind of romantic interest they have.
A sense of belonging is another reason a teenager’s attachment needs to change. The feeling of security and support when one is accepted, included, and identifies with a particular group is paramount among adolescents. Having attachments gives them a sense of security, support, and belonging to a more extensive social arrangement than themselves due to the enormous social support and sharing of information (Greater Good Science Center, 2014). Consequently, they have healthy places to express themselves and meet their needs, which offer th...