Implications of Childhood Abuse and Neglect on Attachment
Implications of Childhood Abuse and Neglect on Attachment Kylie H. Schell Introduction In 2012, more than 3. 2 million children were the subject of alleged abuse and/or neglect in the United States (New York State Office of Children and Family Services, 2012). Parents and other caregivers cause trauma in children when they are unwilling or unable to provide the basic need for food, clothing, and shelter as well as tend to social, emotional, and safety needs of a developing child. Childhood trauma (abuse and/or neglect) is one of the leading precursors to a later diagnosis of Reactive Attachment Disorder. Attachment disorders often have life-long implications for the diagnosed individual including, but not limited to poor interpersonal skills, under developed consciences, aversion to physical touch, lack of genuine feelings or empathy to others, depression/anxiety and delinquent or antisocial behaviors. Findings suggest that the childhood trauma causes the child to believe that no one is to be trusted. Abuse/Neglect Implications on Future Relationships Children that experience abuse and/or neglect are more likely to receive a diagnosis of Reactive Attachment Disorder than other non-abused children (Hansen & Spratt, 2000) • Reactive Attachment Disorder is defined as the result of “disturbed interactions among children and their caregivers” (Hansen & Spratt, 2000) • Parents and other caregivers are the primary source of nurturing, safety, security, and love for the child(ren) in their care. • A child born or placed into the care and custody of an adult that is unwilling or unable to provide the basic need for food, clothing, and shelter as well as tend to social, emotional, and safety needs of a developing child, long term attachment difficulties are imminent. (Hansen & Spratt, 2000) Childhood trauma is shown to be a strong predictor of future parent/child attachments. • Study participant reported that as a result of the abuse and neglect he endured as a child, he was unprepared and emotionally unaware of how to parent his own child. Implications on Attachment A spectrum of relational and attachment difficulties are typically seen in children from abusive and/or neglectful relationships with the caregiver(s). (Hansen & Spratt, 2000) • Lack of security and affection in romantic relationships • Lack of secure attachment in parent/child relationships • Avoidance • Lack of play with caregiver(s) • Lack of appropriate affection and personal space • Depression • More likely to engage in destructive behaviors as a response to conflict situations. • Less secure in friendships • Lower life expectancy (Styron & Janoff-Bullman, 1997) • Positive correlation between adult romantic relationships and the attachment relationships with one’s own abusive parents-meaning, a history of childhood trauma has a negative effect on adult romantic relationships. (Styron & Janoff-Bullman, 1997) Treatment Options • Attachment Therapy (Ontario Centre of Excellence for Child and Youth Mental Health, 2012) • Focus on Parent Education, recognizing needs, and developing appropriate responses. • Family Therapy (Ontario Centre of Excellence for Child and Youth Mental Health, 2012) • Focus on the parent/child relationship • Long Term Residential Treatment (Ziegler, n. d. ) • Milestone/Staircase Approach (James, 1994) • Child works towards milestones in treatment in order to move towards secure attachments. References available on separate handout.
Implications of Childhood Abuse and. Rferences Neglect on Attachment Kylie H. Schell References American Psychiatric Association. (2013). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (5 th ed. ). Washington, DC: Author. Evidence In-Sight: Best practice treatments for reactive attachment disorder and youth. (2012, January). Ontario Centre of Excellence for Child and Youth Mental Health. Retrieved from http: //www. excellenceforchildandyouth. ca Hanson, R. F. , & Spratt, E. G. (2000). Reactive attachment disorder: What we know about the disorder and implications for treatment. Child Maltreatment, 5(2), 137– 145. James, B. (1994). Handbook for treatment of attachment-trauma problems in children. Simon and Schuster. Styron, T. , & Janoff-Bulman, R. (1997). Childhood attachment and abuse: Long-term effects on adult attachment, depression, and conflict resolution. Child abuse & neglect, 21(10), 1015 -1023. Ziegler, D. , & Mountain, J. Understanding and Treating Attachment Problems in Children: What Went Wrong, and How Can Problems Be Fixed.
- Slides: 2