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Enhancing Attachment Organization Among Maltreated Children: Results of a Randomized Clinical Trial
Author(s) -
Bernard Kristin,
Dozier Mary,
Bick Johanna,
LewisMorrarty Erin,
Lindhiem Oliver,
Carlson Elizabeth
Publication year - 2012
Publication title -
child development
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 3.103
H-Index - 257
eISSN - 1467-8624
pISSN - 0009-3920
DOI - 10.1111/j.1467-8624.2011.01712.x
Subject(s) - intervention (counseling) , strange situation , psychology , randomized controlled trial , clinical psychology , attachment theory , developmental psychology , psychiatry , medicine , surgery
Young children who have experienced early adversity are at risk for developing disorganized attachments. The efficacy of Attachment and Biobehavioral Catch‐up (ABC), an intervention targeting nurturing care among parents identified as being at risk for neglecting their young children, was evaluated through a randomized clinical trial. Attachment quality was assessed in the Strange Situation for 120 children between 11.7 and 31.9 months of age ( M = 19.1, SD = 5.5). Children in the ABC intervention showed significantly lower rates of disorganized attachment (32%) and higher rates of secure attachment (52%) relative to the control intervention (57% and 33%, respectively). These results support the efficacy of the ABC intervention in enhancing attachment quality among parents at high risk for maltreatment.