{"id":9340,"date":"2021-06-02T16:30:00","date_gmt":"2021-06-02T14:30:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.attachmentproject.com\/?p=9340"},"modified":"2026-01-08T15:29:50","modified_gmt":"2026-01-08T13:29:50","slug":"anxious-avoidant-attachment-in-children","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.attachmentproject.com\/blog\/anxious-avoidant-attachment-in-children\/","title":{"rendered":"What Is Anxious Avoidant Attachment and What Causes It?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The anxious avoidant attachment style<\/strong> (known as avoidant attachment<\/a> in adulthood) typically develops in the first 18 months of life. During this formative period, a child\u2019s caregiver may have been consistently emotionally unavailable<\/a> or rejecting to their child\u2019s emotional needs.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Such caregivers may have disregarded their child\u2019s needs by not responding to their cues and behaving in a \u201crejecting\u201d or \u201ccold\u201d manner. These caregivers may also frown upon displays of emotion from their child \u2013 both negative and positive.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How Attachment Styles Form in Childhood<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

A child\u2019s attachment style<\/a> is formed through the bond that develops between themselves and their caregivers. Through how their parents or caregivers meet their needs, a child forms expectations about their world and the people in it. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

These expectations have a significant impact on the domains of a child\u2019s life; from their thoughts, outlook, and actions, to how they socialize with other children and adults, and even to how they behave in adult relationships.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you would like to learn more about how the secure and three insecure attachment styles (anxious, avoidant, and disorganized) develop, check out our article on what insecure attachment is and how it forms in childhood<\/a>.
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Do you know your attachment style?
Take our attachment quiz and find out now – fast, easy, free.<\/h2>\n\n\n