TITLE: EMOTIONAL DEPRIVATION IN CHILDHOOD: A BOWLBYAN CASE STUDY OF ATTACHMENT IN THE AGE OF ECONOMIC PRECARITY

Abstract

In this qualitative case study, the effects of maternal deprivation and insecure attachment on the development of a 7-year-old kid in a low-income, single-parent household are examined using Bowlby's Attachment Theory. The research highlights some significant emotional and academic consequences of prolonged mother absence due to full-time job by using in-depth interviews with the child's teacher and behavioral observations of the child. Significant research demonstrates that, in contrast to a child's cognitive ability, attachment disruption presents as low self-esteem, social disengagement, and disinterest in the classroom.   The study emphasizes the importance of family-school partnerships and the crucial role teachers play as possible secondary attachment figures in addressing emotional needs. It also considers the public conundrum that working parents confront when they must choose between material support and emotional availability. This paper contributes to discussions about child development in economically disadvantaged households by connecting attachment theory with common socioeconomic realities and advocating for structural changes to protect children's emotional health in the face of increased economic insecurity.   The study concludes with helpful recommendations for educators to use attachment-sensitive teaching methods and legislators to create support systems that enable working parents to maintain loving ties with their children.