This paper discusses the diagnostic criteria Reactive Attachment Disorder (RAD) including a weak childhood bond to a significant caregiver as being a contributing factor. Research in the field emphasizes the fundamental psychological need for maternal bonding during the highly impressionable first stages of child development. The ramifications of mother/child separation are significant, meaningful, and in terms of RAD, probably causal. If a caregiver is unable to meet basic needs for food, shelter, security or affection the bond between caregiver and child changes. Although the term attachment disorder is sometimes used to address social and behavior issues later in life, it is not appropriate for symptoms developed after three years of age. Social problems that begin after the age of three do not result in attachment disorder. Case studies discussed in this paper discuss the effectiveness of current treatment options. The comorbidity between RAD and other disorders and the disagreement regarding diagnosis criteria and use of the term attachment disorder after childhood warrants further discourse.
Attachment Disorder
Reactive Attachment Disorder (RAD) is a term that describes the abnormal mood, behavior, and social interactions of children who fail to form an appropriate bond with their caregiver in early childhood. According to the criteria described by the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (4th ed., text rev.; DSM-IV-TR; American Psychiatric Association, ATTACHMENT DISORDER-3 2000), abuse, neglect, or separation from a caregiver can result in a failure to form a normal bond. Other causal factors include a child having too many caregivers or a lack of affect being exhibited by a car...
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...e and be more empathetic. With the assistance of DDP, therapists can help children establish a nourishing bond with their caregiver and a more assimilated sense of self (Becker-Weidman, p. 5-7.)
Research has shown that a more concise definition of attachment disorder may assist with diagnosis and treatment. Some sources conclude that attachment disorders cannot develop after three years of age while others state after the age of five. There is inconsistency regarding the use the term attachment disorder in references to adults, and the comorbidity of attachment disorder with other afflictions makes treatment especially difficult. Reactive attachment disorder stems from damaged bonds in early childhood that can carry over into adolescence and adulthood. Timely interventions are important in order to rebuild human connections and foster appropriate social interactions.
The Strange Situation, in which infants are exposed to eight different episodes involving the mother and/or a stranger, is widely used to test attachments, although there are many different views regarding its validity and reliability. In order for the Strange Situation to be considered reliable, a child tested at different times should produce the same reaction every time; this was supported by Main, Kapland and Cassidy’s 1985 study which found that 100% of infants who had been securely attached before 18 months were still securely attached at 6 years, and 75% of those who had been anxious-avoidant remained so. One interpretation of attachment type (based on the Strange Situation) is that it is a fixed characteristic and therefore cannot be changed, but if there is a change in family circumstances this is often not the case. Attachments to mothers and fathers have been proven to be independent – Main and Weston (1981) found that children reacted differently depending on which parent they were with. This shows that the attachment types shown by the Strange Situation are based on qualities of distinct relationships as opposed to a child’s characteristics.
When we observe the interactions between a parent and their child, we might expect to see a loving and caring relationship. The parent comforts their child in times of distress, provides nourishment and shelter, and an overall sense of security. We might also notice that when these needs are not met, the child 's behavior is immediately impacted. Why is this? As humans, we quite literally depend on the connections and feelings we receive from the people around us. It is an innate need that if a person is lacking it, will critically impact their behavior. In children, this attachment as it has come to be known, is not only important for the child 's well being, but has also been shown to influence their development. Since the attachments we
The first topic that came up in the interview relates to idea of attachment theory. Attachment theory explains the human’s way of relating to a caregiver and receives an attachment figures relating to the parent, and children. In addition, the concept explains the confidence and ability for a child to free explore their environment with a place to seek support, protection, and comfort in times of distress (Levy, Ellison, Scott, and Bernecker, 2010, p. 193). Within attachment theory explains different types of attachment styles that children experience during early childhood. These attachment styles affect the relationships they continue to build in adulthood. The best attachment style happens when the parent is attuned to the child during his or her early childhood called secure attachment (Reyes, 2010, p. 174). In order for complete secure attachment, the child needs to feel safe, seen, and soothed. Any relationship that deviates from this model represents the anxious or insecure attachment. This means that parents or caregivers are inconsistently responsive to the children. Children who have these parents are usually confused and insecure. Some children experience a dismissive attachment where they
Attachments are formed with parents; this contributes to give a sense of who we are and who we will become in later life. However where these attachments are broken the child needs to have a secure attachment established with an alternative adult care giver,...
Relationships are the building block for personality and are significant in children’s ability to grow into substantial individuals who can thrive in an often harsh world. Constructing lasting and fulfilling relationships is an integral part to development as the interpersonal bonds forged are not only highly sought after but also set the ground work for all upcoming expressive interactions. Relationships and attachment go hand in hand as attachment is the strong and lasting linkage established between a child and his or her caregiver. Moreover, attachment significantly influences a large capacity of ones make up as it these first relationships that teaches morals, builds self-esteem, and develops a support system. The pioneers of Attachment Theory realized early on that human beings are not solely influenced by drives but that the earliest bonds formed by children with their caregivers greatly impact their ability to forge lasting relationships later in life. John Bowlby was first to introduce this theory to the masses in the 1950’s, and later Mary Ainsworth conducted further research to expand on Bowlby’s theory which proclaims that attachment is a “lasting psychological connectedness between human beings” (Bowlby, 1969, p. 194). The attachment bond theory by both Bowlby and Ainsworth focuses on the significance of the relationship between babies and their caretakers which research has suggested is accountable for influencing impending interactions, firming or injuring our capabilities to concentrate, being aware of our emotional states, self-soothing capabilities, and the capacity to be resilient in the face of hardship. Additionally, this research has provided a framework for assisting in describing these att...
Admittedly, many psychologists define attachment as an enduring, affectionate bond that one person forms between himself and another person throughout life. Mary Ainsworth provided the most famous research: strange situation, offering explanations of individual differences in attachment. However, in this Adult Attachment Style questionnaire that I took, I found many factors relevant to attachment as defined in the textbook. For example, in the textbook, it defines attachment based on Ainsworth research, the strange situation by observing attachment forms between mother and infants. They are described in four attachment styles: securely attached, insecure avoidant, insecure resistant, and insecure disorganized.
Attachment is described as the close emotional bond between two people and Attachment Theory (AT) generally concentrates on the early bonds in a person’s development as well as the effects that these bonds have on later socio-emotional development. While emphasis on attachment as an antecedent for future behavior and personality has decreased somewhat in recent years, it is interesting to note that the DSM IV-TR includes a “reactive attachment disorder” which it states is caused when extreme circumstances prevent proper attachment development.
Infant attachment is the first relationship a child experiences and is crucial to the child’s survival (BOOK). A mother’s response to her child will yield either a secure bond or insecurity with the infant. Parents who respond “more sensitively and responsively to the child’s distress” establish a secure bond faster than “parents of insecure children”. (Attachment and Emotion, page 475) The quality of the attachment has “profound implications for the child’s feelings of security and capacity to form trusting relationships” (Book). Simply stated, a positive early attachment will likely yield positive physical, socio-emotional, and cognitive development for the child. (BOOK)
Hazan, C., Gur-Yaish, N., & Campa, M. (2003). What does it mean to be attached? In W. S. Rholes & J. A. Simpson (Eds.) Adult Attachment: Theory, Research, and Clinical Implications, (pp. 55 – 85). New York: Guilford.
Attachment theory is the idea that a child needs to form a close relationship with at least one primary caregiver. The theory proved that attachment is necessary to ensure successful social and emotional development in an infant. It is critical for this to occur in the child’s early infant years. However, failed to prove that this nurturing can only be given by a mother (Birns, 1999, p. 13). Many aspects of this theory grew out of psychoanalyst, John Bowlby’s research. There are several other factors that needed to be taken into account before the social worker reached a conclusion; such as issues surrounding poverty, social class and temperament. These factors, as well as an explanation of insecure attachment will be further explored in this paper.
An embryo forms in the uterus of a soon-to-be mother. Already the organism is dependent on its mother and is physically attached to her through the formation of the umbilical cord. After birth, the interactions between the child and its caregivers determine whether this attachment continues on a healthy path or begins to become disturbed. When the latter occurs, children may develop reactive attachment disorder (RAD) Being that this disorder is fairly misdiagnosed and misunderstood, there is not much empirical data as pertains to its etiological bases and epidemiology. The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders characterizes RAD has a disorder that occurs when a child has experienced repeated insufficient care. Moreover, children with this disorder really concentrate on attention and attachment that they perceive from the world around them, whether they avoid it (inhibited type) or crave it (disinhibited type). Further research is needed in the years to come in order for RAD to become more recognized and understood.
In inhibited RAD, children are more likely to resist comfort or affection, remain detached from their emotions, and to withdraw from others. Symptoms of disinhibited RAD are lack of caring or concern for the self, lack of emotional response, and disinterest in who they surround themselves with (Wood, 2005). Generally though, children with reactive attachment disorder are often more hostile, argumentative, indifferent about pain (others or their own), impulsive, and resistant to signs of love or affection. This disorder is most effectively and frequently treated through the attempted repair of the relationship between the child and the caregiver, often through the use of
Reactive Attachment Disorder is a common infancy/early childhood disorder. Reactive attachment disorder is located under the trauma- and stressors-related disorder section of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manuel of Mental Disorders (DSM-5), Fifth Edition. It is normally diagnosed when an infant or child experience expresses a minimal attachment to a figure for nurturance, comfort, support, and protection. Although children diagnosed with reactive attachment disorder have the ability to select their attachment figure, they fail to show behavioral manifestation because they had limited access during the early developmental stage. Some disturbed behaviors include diminished or absence of positive emotions toward caregiver. In addition, children with reactive attachment disorder have a tendency to have episodes of negative emotions including a period of fear, sadness, and irritability that cannot be explained. According to the DSM-5 (2013), reactive attachment disorder impairs children’s ability to relate on a personal level with adults or peers along with many other functional impairment in several domains during early childhood. The clinical disorder is likely to manifest in a child between the ages of nine months and five years (p. 267).
“Attachment is as essential for the child’s psychological well-being as food is for physical health,” claimed Bowlby, B (2001, p.54). Bowlby claimed in this statement that attachment is a necessary thing that a child needs in order to develop healthily. There is evidence from other theorists who support Bowlby’s theory of attachment, such as Harlow, whose approach is based upon a caregiver’s sensitivity and attachment. Ainsworth is another theorist whose research supports Bowlby’s theory of attachment. In her strange situation study, she tested for the attachment types and what effects they had on a child’s behaviour.
During the first few stages of both theories, we see challenges in the development of the child and we also see challenges that a child might face during some, if not all forms of attachment theory. For example, a parent ignoring the child and speaking to them in a negative manner during insecure-avoidant attachment can be challenging for a child and lead to insecurities and the feeling of not being loved and/or wanted. Additionally, the theme of independence is seen throughout both theories and can also be related specifically to insecure-avoidant attachment where the child does not focus his or her attention on the parents but instead looks to the outside world for assistance. Both theories, as well as attachment theory, has an impact on childhood