The Trauma Of Childhood And Adolescence

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

This suggest that attachment has been at the forefront of children’s social relationships. Attachment substantially contributes to our understanding of why the experience of being physically abused might lead to the development of representations and behavioral patterns that hinder the development of peer relationships. Like Social Learning Theory regarding parental abusive models, attachment plays a major role in how abuse affects children. As such, attachment theory explores the relevance of maltreatment and physical abuse on children. The theory also concludes that children who experience abuse or neglect are likely to develop insecure and disorganized attachments, causing them to extend that same behavior to their own children. This suggests that early childhood adverse experiences influence later parenting behavior (Begle, Dumas & Hanson, 2010).

Trauma is perceived as a physical or psychological threat or assault to a person’s physical integrity, sense of self, safety and/or survival or to the physical safety of a significant other; family member, friend, partner. (Kilpatrick, Saunders, and Smith, 2003). An adolescent may experience trauma from a variety of experiences, including but not limited to: abuse (sexual, physical, and/or emotional); neglect; abandonment; bullying; exposure to domestic violence and/ or community violence; natural disasters; medical procedures; loss/grief due to a death of a family member(s); surgery; accidents or serious illness; and war (Kilpatrick, Saunders, and Smith, 2003).

“American Psychiatric Association defines trauma as an event that represents a threat to life or personal integrity. Trauma can also be experienced when children are faced with a caregiver who acts erratically, emotional and /or physical neglect, and exploitation” (Maltby, L., & Hall, T. 2012. p. 304). Trauma comes in many different forms including: war, rape, kidnapping, abuse, sudden injury, and

A child who has disruptive attachment will face many issues during their lifetime. The areas that will be affected relate to their behaviour, emotional and also the relationship they have during childhood and into adulthood. These impacts due to grief, loss, abuse, maltreatment, parental health issues, could be mental or physical health related. These issues can be ongoing, temporary and yet will affect issues of their primary carer will be ongoing and affect every part of the child’s life (Doyle, 2012).

In relation to the Adult Attachment Interview, one study focused on the states of mind and previous traumas of 70 neglectful or high risk mothers using a coding system called Hostile-Helpless (HH). This coding system for the Adult Attachment Interview according to Milot (2014),was developed to capture disorganized attachment states of mind that would result from childhood relational trauma.” (P.1351)The mothers were accessed using the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire, while results were coded from interview transcripts. The results of this study showed that there was a high prevalence of disorganized attachment states within the sample observed. Almost all of the mothers revealed a form of previous trauma, and in many causes reporting multiple

Childhood experiences and attachments are crucial to our emotional development. Children around this country are abused and neglected every second. “Childhood maltreatment also represents a serious public health concern, with an estimated 3.3 million referrals to child protective agencies for suspected child maltreatment in 2005” (Bentley & Widom, 2009). Those children who are abused eventually become adults whom suffered from childhood trauma. Although a trauma may be considered to be in the past, for many the scars are ever so present when moving throughout life. Individuals who haven’t be exposed to high doses of stress and trauma are ready to go into fight or flight at any moment, but when this system is started over and over again,

Attachment theory hypnotizes that children internalize information, through interaction with significant others, forming a “blueprint” for a model of self and the world. Childhood abuse provides for increasingly negative models, producing less secure patterns of attachment, thereby increasing vulnerability for the development of PTSD symptoms and personality disorders. Applicants were invited to participate and were screened using maltreatment and stress questionnaires to determine if they met the criteria for physical or sexual abuse. Results were compared between positive attachment styles and fearful attachment styles to level of stress experienced in adult life, as well as to the type of abuse previously experienced. A correlation was found

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.

Mary Main was Ainssowrth student. She therefore introduced another fourth category of attachment styles with her attachment studies with adults. During her longitudinal research project alongside her colleague Goldwyn on middle class children’s attachment styles, they found that about 79% of the time attachment styles remained constant from 18 months to 6 years of age (in Brandell & Ringel, 2007,). However in their observations about 5%) that did not fit into Ainsworth’s classification of attachment styles, which they called ‘disorganized/disoriented attachment’ (Main & Solomon, 1986, 1990). These children were fearful and engaged in repetitive or aggressive behaviors. Their behaviors at reunion were unpredictable. They displayed

Scientist wanted to know how adolescents function and see if there is any similarity with one another. Those with secure attachment relationship scored high on emotional intelligence and protective resources (Thompson, 2008). The purpose of having an attachment relationship is for the adolescents to deal with emotions and social relationships in general. With no attachment it becomes more complicated for the adolescents to process and handle their problems. The adolescents were tested to see what kind of attachment style they have and where their emotional intelligence (Petrides, Sangareau, Furnham, & Frederickson,

In this paper I will discuss complex trauma (CT) in children and adolescents. I will distinguish the difference between CT and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). I will also discuss assessment some of the current treatment models for CT for children and adolescents. First I will define PTSD.

Charlie went through repressing intense feelings caused by a series of unfortunate events in his life. When a childhood trauma is unresolved it can lead to future intimacy problems. For example, as Sam and Charlie became intimate, he becomes uncomfortable, “ It was like everything made sense. Until she moved her hands under my pants, and she touched me. That’s when I stopped her.” Despite the fact that he wanted this to happen since the day he met her, he couldn’t go through with it. When an individual experiences trauma as a child, being physically and emotionally intimate becomes a task as one grows older. The ‘unresolved emotional trauma’ he suffered deprived him of the simplest of things, loving back.

An infant with a secure attachment style has a natural bond with their parent, where they are able to trust them, at the same time leaving their side to discover and explore their surroundings. In an insecure/resistant attachment the relationship the child has with their mother or caregiver is very clingy, thus making them very upset once the caregiver is away. When the mother or caregiver is back they are not easily comforted and resist their effort in comforting them. In an insecure/avoidant attachment the infant is, “indifferent and seems to avoid the mother, they are as easily comforted by a stranger, as by their parent” (Siegler 2011, p.429). Lastly, the disorganized/disoriented attachment is another insecure attachment style in which the infant has no way of coping with stress making their behavior confusing or contradictory. Through these brief descriptions of the attachment theory, many researchers have defined the turning point in which each attachment definition can have an influence on one’s self esteem, well-being and their marital relationship.

There are many types of trauma that can effect an adolescent and without the proper treatment of the traumatic event the adolescent can have difficulty adapting and developing into adulthood. Kathleen J. Moroz, of the Vermont Agency of Human Services, defines trauma as a physical or psychological threat or assault to a child’s physical integrity, sense of self, safety of survival or to the physical safety of another person significant to the child. She goes on to list the types of trauma a child may be exposed to. Abuse of every kind, domestic violence, natural disasters, abandonment, serious illness or an accident are just a few traumatic events that can effect the development of a child. (2) When these events occur as an acute event