Attachment Anxiety: A Case Study

The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (5th ed.; DSM–5; American Psychiatric Association, 2013) defined Reactive Attachment Disorder (RAD) as, “a consistent patterns of emotionally withdrawn behavior towards adult caregivers” (p. 265). There is a variety of criteria for RAD, the first is that the child does not seek comfort when distress and they often do not respond to comfort when distressed. Second, the child lacks social and emotional responsiveness with unexplained episodes of irritability, sadness, or fearfulness even during non-threatening interactions with adult caregivers. The third criteria are that there is a continuing absence from caregivers involving basic emotional needs for comfort, stimulation, and affection (APA, 2013). In addition, RAD could be developed

In order to develop consistency, it is important to understand the importance of the setting where, practitioner perceptions that characterises the setting (a microsystem) and interactions (proximal processes) within the setting can have an impact on a child’s behaviour. More’s (2013) research revealed that having a supportive peer group around provides practitioners with opportunities for joint thinking and problem solving and acts as a source of emotional support and that managing challenging behaviour can be made more effective by working as a team. In addition, practitioner perceptions of having a consistent group also help in managing behaviour. Frequent changes to the group can have implications for how consistently the behaviour policy

The three prototypes explored are avoidant, anxious-ambivalent, and secure attachments which describes how partners will behave in close relationships and how caring and supportive each individual is within their relationship. Avoidant attached individuals are withdrawn from relationships and untrustworthy of others. Anxious-Ambivalent individuals worry often about their partner’s needs being fulfilled as well as theirs and analyze if they’re moving too fast in the relationship when compared to their partner. Secured individuals are completely trustworthy of their partner and confident in their feelings and

EFT is an attachment based research theory, that suggest that couples have strong need to stay connected (bond) to each other. As such, bonding is very important in marital relationships and if the bond is disappearing, then stressful and negative cycle pattern begins to emerge. Thus, the goal of EFT is to support couples walk through a process of healing (overcoming the negative patterns, rebuilding the connection again, and fortify the bond) (Goldenberg, Stanton, & Goldenberg, 2017). From the assessment that has carried out by the therapist it is clear that Tam and Lisa do not have what it takes to manage or settle conflicts without it escalating into something else. As such, the bonding between them is disappearing and it’s becoming stressful and disturbing to them and their children. Because Jimmy and Emma even though do not see their parent fight or disagree in the open but they can sense the disconnection between their parent and feel the tension whenever both of them where at home. More so, because of the negative pattern that has emerge as a result of lack of secure attachment, there is no more interactions between the couple and each others needs are not met. From the case conceptualization, and to decide what treatment plan should target or focus on the therapist will use the step-by-step treatment manual provided by Johnson and Greenberg (1995) as cited in (Goldenberg et al., 2017) for the therapy process:

The Development of Attachment Theory and Its Strengths and Limitations English psychiatrist John Bowlby is a leading and influential figure within the history of social reform. His work has influenced social work policies and legislation relating to child psychiatry and psychology. Bowlby was trained as a psychoanalyst, and was influenced by Freudians theories, but became influenced again in his attachment theory by the work of ethologists. The ethologists theory concentrates on looking at the role parents play rather than only the child. Bowlby believes that parenting has strong ties with biology and it explains why there are such strong emotions attached.

Imagine one moment you’re outside playing football in the yard with your little brother, then in a split second something triggers him and fills him with an uncontrollable rage that will have you scared of someone in your own family. This is because my little brother Ty suffers from Reactive Attachment Disorder and like many other foster kids Ty was neglected by his birth parents and then did not establish an appropriate bond with a caregiver. To people unaware of Ty’s mental illness he may seem like a normal 16 year old that spends time with his family and enjoys working on his dirtbikes. What the people don’t see is the anger that fills him from when things don’t play out the way he wants them to. Ty’s triggers usually come from when something doesn’t go the way he wanted them to, in his mind things need to play out exactly how he wants them to and if they don’t then the result is not a pleasant sight.

Three predominant styles of attachment, secure, insecure-anxious and insecure-avoidant reflect expectations about the reliability and availability of attachment figures (Hazan & Shaver, 1987). Individuals who portray secure attachment styles tend to value relationships that provide trust, comfort, and availability. In contrast, individuals with insecure-avoidant or insecure-anxious styles of attachment have difficulty recognizing, acknowledging, and/or valuing secure-based relationships. Avoidant individuals experience discomfort when becoming close with others. In contrast, insecure-anxious individuals report relationships as a threat,

Reactive attachment disorder, also known as RAD, is characteristic of children who have developmentally inappropriate attachment behaviors. As mentioned in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 5th Edition (2013), “The essential feature (of reactive attachment disorder) is absent or grossly underdeveloped attachment between the child and putative caregiving adults” (p. 266). This underdeveloped attachment is in response to a child being neglected or deprived of emotional and social comfort (American Psychiatric Association, 2013). In the following section, the diagnostic criteria for reactive attachment disorder will be discussed.

Abstract: Children entering into the foster care system more than likely have been neglected or abused. This paper will detail a common disorder associated with foster children. Attachment Disorder (AD) is not commonly discussed before placement, however it becomes obvious within the first two months of placement. A myriad of signs or symptoms can be related to AD and there is debatable literature and discussion regarding the validity of this disorder. This paper will also discuss the difference between AD and RAD (Reactive Attachment Disorder). The goal of this paper is to inform potential foster families of behavioral difficulties and the assistance that is available.

Attachment theory is a psychological model that provides an influential, biologically driven explanation of how the parent-child interaction emerges and how it influences human development over a life span. The term attachment refers to the complex set of related thought processes and behaviors towards a primary care giver. The attachment behaviors are biologically guided by our natural instinct for protection and safety. This evolved behavioral system organizes human motivation, emotions, cognition, and memory. The attachment relationship that an individual creates in infancy effects their growth, behavior in other relationships, risk taking, and mental health through their human development (George, 2014, p. 97). I chose to use attachment theory to understand Carla’s current situation because the theory has been powerful in understanding the range of relationships patterns that develop between mother and their infants and children. It has been shown that children who experience inadequate parenting are at a much higher risk for an insecure attachment style and experience more interpersonal difficulties in adulthood especially with relationships. Carla grew up in a very inconsistent environment her whole life. Using attachment theory I am analyzing how her childhood shaped who she is as a woman and the choices she made that ultimately brought her to where she is today.

As we have seen in Rose's counseling session, past relational patterns are elicited from exploration of the patients' past and early relationships. Key themes are: the degree of love and care (emotional warmth) they experienced in early life; the degree of neglect and abuse; and the types and qualities of core conflicts. In Rose's case, the key issue, as Dr. Berenson discovers over the course of the interview is the subtle manipulation of a mother by her child. She tests her and puts her through a lot of stress, to see how she responds; in this case losing sleep and stressing over the situation.

Both of my parents are still together, and raised me with what I would consider a very very secure environment. I was always told I was loved, to talk to my parents if I ever had issues, and to be myself and do what I’m interested in. Even in times of argument or disagreement, my family stays underlyingly loving and understanding. Knowing myself, and seeing my parents successful relationship, I know that my early growth and attachment has taught me quite well how to have secure relationships in the future. I don’t question bad relationship possibilities or ever feel anxious or dismissive in relationships, and I think I owe that to the secure way my parents raised

Considerations on attachment were examined through the life span of a forty-seven-year-old white lesbian, who is a self-diagnosed alcoholic. During a developmental interview, correlations were observed amongst insecure attachment and with the subject’s unstable interpersonal relationships as well as with her personal intellect, career, social, emotional, and physical health developments. Conversely, secure attachment was noted to be compensated by a spiritual awakening for primary attachment experiences. Within the parameters of the interview, it was observed that the fundamental categories of adult attachment; autonomous (secure), dismissing (insecure), preoccupied (insecure), and unresolved (insecure) can be fluid over an individual’s life

After taking the attachment quiz, I found my attachment-related anxiety score was 1.56, on a scale from 1 to 7 which means: “low anxiety” and my attachment-related avoidance score was 1.00, on a scale ranging from 1 to 7, which means: “low avoidance.” When these two scores are combined, it showed that my attachment style according to this assessment is secure, meaning that being alone or expressing my emotions to a partner isn’t a problem for me.