SMC Affiliated Work
1
Status
Faculty
School
School of Science
Department
Psychology
Document Type
Article
Publication Date
2017
Publication / Conference / Sponsorship
Journal of Attachment & Human Development
Description/Abstract
Disorganized/Disoriented (D) attachment has seen widespread interest from policy makers, practitioners, and clinicians in recent years. However, some of this interest seems to have been based on some false assumptions that (1) attachment measures can be used as definitive assessments of the individual in forensic/child protection settings and that disorganized attachment (2) reliably indicates child maltreatment, (3) is a strong predictor of pathology, and (4) represents a fixed or static "trait" of the child, impervious to development or help. This paper summarizes the evidence showing that these four assumptions are false and misleading. The paper reviews what is known about disorganized infant attachment and clarifies the implications of the classification for clinical and welfare practice with children. In particular, the difference between disorganized attachment and attachment disorder is examined, and a strong case is made for the value of attachment theory for supportive work with families and for the development and evaluation of evidence-based caregiving interventions.
Keywords
Disorganized attachment, attachment disorder, attachment-based interventions, infancy, maltreatment
Scholarly
yes
DOI
10.1080/14616734.2017.1354040
Volume
19
Issue
6
First Page
534
Last Page
558
Disciplines
Psychology
Rights
Open Access article
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Original Citation
“Disorganized attachment in infancy: a review of the phenomenon and its implications for clinicians and policy-makers.” by Granqvist, P., Sroufe, L. A., Dozier, M., Hesse, E., Steele, M., Van Ljzendoorn, M., Solomon, J., Schuengel, C., Fearon, P.,Bakermans-Kranenburg, M., Steele, H., Cassidy, J., Carlson, E., Madigan, S., Jacobvitz, D., Foster, S., Behrens, K., Rifkin-Graboi, A., Gribneau, N., Spangler, G., Ward, M. J., True, M., Spieker, S., Reijman, S., Reisz, S., Tharner, A., Nkara, F., Goldwyn, R., Sroufe, J., Pederson, D., Pederson, D., Weigand, R., Siegel, D., Dazzi, N., Bernard, K., Fonagy, P., Waters, E., Toth, S., Cicchetti, D., Zeanah, C. H., Lyons-Ruth, K.,, Main, M., & Dischinsky, R. Journal of Attachment & Human Development, 19(6), 534-558. 2017. https://doi.org/10.1080/14616734.2017.1354040
Repository Citation
Granqvist, Pehr; Sroufe, L. Alan; Dozier, Mary; Hesse, Erik; Steele, Miriam; Van Ljzendoorn, Marinus; Solomon, Judith; Schuengel, Carlo; Fearon, Pasco; Bakermans-Kranenburg, Marian; Steele, Howard; Cassidy, Jude; Carlson, Elizabeth; Madigan, Sheri; Jacobvitz, Deborah; Foster, Sarah; Behrens, Kazuko; Rifkin-Graboi, Anne; Gribneau, Naomi; Spangler, Gottfried; Ward, Mary; True, Mary; Spieker, Susan; Reijman, Sophie; Reisz, Samantha; Tharner, Anne; Nkara, Frances; Goldwyn, Ruth; Sroufe, June; Pederson, David; Pederson, Deanne; Weigand, Robert; Siegel, Daniel; Dazzi, Nino; Bernard, Kristin; Fonagy, Peter; Waters, Everett; Toth, Sheree; Cicchetti, Dante; Zeanah, Charles; Lyons-Ruth, Karlen; Main, Mary; and Dischinsky, Robbie. Disorganized Attachment in Infancy: A Review of the Phenomenon and Its Implications for Clinicians and Policy-Makers (2017). Journal of Attachment & Human Development. 19 (6), 534-558. 10.1080/14616734.2017.1354040 [article]. https://digitalcommons.stmarys-ca.edu/school-science-faculty-works/161
