Adult Attachment Interview

Next on the continuum of attachment styles, the insecure-anxious-ambivalent child displays an extreme reaction of distress to their caregiver’s departure and a slight inclination to explore. (Connors, 2011) Upon the return of their parent or caregiver, this child is not comforted and physically resists contact. Noted by Ainsworth in her “Strange Situation”, this child’s “interactive behaviors are relatively lacking in active initiation” (Ainsworth et al., 1978), meaning the child, seeking validation, might respond to the return of their parent but this generally includes emotional outbursts instead of taking an active approach to their parent. The insecure-avoidant pattern of attachment displays an infant who lacks a secure base and fails to respond to both the departure and return of their primary caregiver. (Ainsworth et al., 1978), Further, the “Strange Situation” displayed this child as turning away or “squirming” when contact was reestablished between child and caregiver (Connors, 2011). Finally, the later addition of the attachment pattern insecure-disorganized explains children who demonstrate a mixture of attachment behaviors. This child often responds to their caregiver with opposing actions, such as approach-avoidance, and displays a degree of fear associated with that caregiver; it is theorized that there is a direct correlation between abused children and this particular

The child then can form the skills to interact with people when a healthy relationship and important people are showing support. The interactions that are shown by the caretaker, allows the child to view relationships in a healthy way.

It mainly focuses on developing a safe, stable, nurturing environment with positive interactions with caregivers (Shi, 2014). Individuals with reactive attachment disorder require change and the restructuring of the development process. Per United Behavioral Health (2016), possible therapeutic techniques include infant/parent psychotherapy and interaction guidance. The infant/parent psychotherapy focuses on “attachment, trauma, cognitive behavioral, and social learning theories” to treat traumatized children and families with a final goal to restore a sense of trust and safety within the relationship and family (United Behavioral Health, 2016). Whereas interaction guidance is a strength based intervention using positive reinforcement to reshape behavior and observable interactions within the relationship, which is comparable to behavioral therapy. In addition to those two types of therapy, psychoeducation for caregivers and inexperienced parents is important for them to learn that their abilities as a parent affects their child. Not much research has been done do to the ethical standards and “do no harm” to

This paper is a review of how attachment disorders were first defined in the Diagnostic Statistical Manual of Mental Health Disorders (DSM) in 1980, and how the descriptions have evolved over the past 30 years of research efforts which have provided new insights into the disorder. The main attachment disorder discussed is Reactive Attachment Disorder (RAD), that has recently been expanded to include a new diagnosis term called DSED – Disinhibited Social Engagement Disorder. In order to provide effective therapeutic interventions to children who may suffer from RAD, the professionals they come in contact with on a regular basis must be provided the skills to recognize the common indicators of the disorder as early as possible in a child’s development. RAD, if left undiagnosed, can have devastating effects throughout the lifespan for the individuals who suffer from it.

The study hypothesize that CSA survivors would have difficulty forming secure, intimate, nonabusive relationships and that CSA survivors are at risk for depression in low quality intimate relationships. Despite the overall quality of their intimate relationships, those that were severely abused reported feeling more anxious about their attachment to their partners (Aube, Judd & Whiffen, 1999). The partner that had a history of sexual abuse reported feeling unloved and abandoned by their partner but at the same time they felt like they could depend on them when they needed them. In adult attachment theory, this states that the survivor is experiencing an anxious attachment style. A limitation of this study was that they sampled women that were

Although secure attachment during infancy is the foundation for continued healthy positive development during the lifespan, it is important to understand that other factors can have a significant effect on development later in life (i.e. illness, loss, and trauma). However, research has shown the importance of consistent care giving that is responsive and nurturing and the caregivers’ ability to effectively accommodate more difficult temperament characteristics ,as well as other factors, influence the development of healthy attachment{{64 Bakermans-Kranenburg, Marian 2003}}. Research has also shown that infancy and early childhood is the period of development where scaffolding begins and continues (Vygotsky, 1978; Zhao & Orey,1999).

Lehmann and Coady (2001) state that attachment theory adheres to the notion that mental health issues come from detrimental early childhood caregiver relationships. Lehmann and Coady (2001) further state that this can include a breakdown in relationships that fail to give a child emotional security, comfort and protection. Lehmann and Coady (2001) reiterate that this can also include bad reactions with caretakers that are inconsistent, unreliable, insensitive and abusive. This theory is critical in a rural social work setting as it pertains to trauma.

Over 25% of children in the United States will witness or experience a traumatic event before they turn four. Early childhood trauma is the experience of an event by a child that is emotionally painful or distressful. Consequently, exposure to traumatic events in childhood is associated with a wide range of psychosocial and developmental impairments. Nilsson, Holmqvist, & Jonson (2011) conducted a study that found trauma related experiences (particularly in childhood) relate to dissociative symptoms and an insecure attachment style. Accordingly, Erozkan (2016) also indicated that victims of early childhood trauma are more likely to develop an insecure attachment style, moreover, are less

Unlike any other period of childhood development, during infancy a child it totally reliant on the caregiver for stimulation. Without proper stimulation during this time period the opportunity to learn critical behaviors can be missed (Perry, 2001). Children who are victims of neglect can experience delayed neurological development, which can then affect their ability to function as healthy adults.

After reading about the adult attachment style theory, I learned that children obtain their styles from their parents/caregivers. My scores reflect that I am secure in my attachment styles. I was not surprised, I had very loving, supportive parents that never failed me or left me in times of need. They provided for me in every aspect that a parent should. I was raised in a very structured environment and that is how I parented. My scores, although not as low as what I thought, reflect I could use some work on my self-confidence and I am aware of this. I have worked on it and I have gained more self-confidence than when I started this program. I did not always lack self-confidence, this was something that happened later in life for several reasons.

I just saw my score for Milestone 2 and I cannot believe that you score me a 72% = F. I agree that there were 3 references citations missing; the one you pointed on page 4 is on page 5. I consider that my paper answers the elements on the rubric. Moreover, I am clearly proposing theraplay as the treatment for reactive attachment disorder. Regarding the contemporary theories, what is what you exactly mean I addressed 3 of the most acceptable theorists and their theories and their perspective regarding attachment.

Attachment Disorder is a lack of forming a secure attachment between a child and their primary caretaker. This usually develops when the child has experienced trauma of some sort either by neglect or abuse (the book: A Short Introduction). Because the child does not form this strong attachment it can lead to the child having emotional and behavioral disorders as the child grows up. In their article about attachment disorders, Thomas O’Connor and Charles H. Zeanah write that, “The implication is that the absence of a consistent caregiver and selective attachment may play a central etiological role in the development of attachment disorders.” (O’Connor & Zeanah, 2003) Children who have been diagnosed with

Chronic trauma in childhood and adolescence include macrotraumatic events – physical abuse, sexual assault, physical neglect – as well as a variety of cumulative microtrauma including constant devaluations and excessive demands, lack of security, emotional abuse, neglect, and a variety of separation and losses. For this type of trauma, the concept of attachment trauma has been proposed to underline the high damage potential of these influences.

After listening to the presentation in class and demonstrating the different types of attachment, I became very observant of the children around me and began to analyze their type of attachment. For example, I went home this weekend and went to a football game where a baby and her caregiver was sitting in front of us, and I observed how they interacted. Also, at the store, I began analyzing the different types of attachment that I saw in children of all ages. When I realized that our notebook activity was going to be over attachment, I became very excited because I find it to be so intriguing. I decided to use the stages of attachment from Bowlby’s Ethological Theory in order to determine which attachment stage each of the children I observed,

The article focuses on women who were domestically abused (as a spouse or as a child), that may be diagnosed with or without PTSD which influences their parenting competency. Waldman-Levi, Finzi-Dottan, & Weintraub (2015), has three theories that impacts parenting, social-learning theory, attachment theory, and past childhood trauma. They have hypothesized that attachment theory and parental competency will differ between women who were exposed or not exposed to domestic violence during their childhood and between women with and without PTSD symptoms (Waldman-Levi, Finzi-Dottan, & Weintraub, 2015).