Assessing attachment, which pair of behaviors indicates a positive bidirectional attachment cycle?

• A. Parent responds to cry; Baby responds to comforting measures.
• B. Parent ignores; Baby cries.
• C. Parent yells; Baby withdraws.
• D. Parent sings; Baby sleeps.

Answer: (A)

In a positive bidirectional attachment cycle, there is a responsive back-and-forth between caregiver and infant. When a caregiver promptly and appropriately responds to a baby’s distress signals, the infant learns that signaling helps meet needs and feels secure. The baby then responds to the caregiver’s soothing with calm, engagement, or continued signaling in a way that reinforces the caregiver’s willingness to respond in the future. This mutual regulation strengthens trust and attachment.

The best example shows the caregiver responding to a cry with comforting measures, and the baby responding to that comfort. That loop—signal from baby, caregiver responsive action, and baby’s positive response to the soothing—embodies the mutuality of a secure attachment.

The other scenarios lack this reciprocal exchange: ignoring signals breaks the cycle of trust; yelling with withdrawal increases distress and avoidance; and singing leading to sleep may soothe but doesn’t demonstrate active, reciprocal interaction from the baby.