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It’s not all about attachment
Entering adolescence with a secure model of attachment makes it more likely that this period will be smoother, however it does not guarantee it. There are many other factors in life that influence development besides attachment such as:
- Extended social relationships
- Social-economic status
Conditions such as psychiatric conditions, mood and anxiety or thought disorders as well as substance use and addiction are not necessarily caused by attachment issues and onset is not necessarily prevented by secure attachment.
Resilience is recognised as also being important influential factor for a child. Additionally it is acknowledged that attachment is a very western notion and that in non-western communities, the idea of a child being intimately attached to a caregiver is somewhat strange as caregiving duties are more evenly distributed among a broader group of people. Despite this, "well-adjusted" members of society are still produced, indicating that, at least in these societies, some other mechanism is acting in the place of the attachments that are so necessary for western children.