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The Effect of an Attachment‐Based Behaviour Therapy for Children with Visual and Severe Intellectual Disabilities
Author(s) -
Sterkenburg P. S.,
Janssen C. G. C.,
Schuengel C.
Publication year - 2008
Publication title -
journal of applied research in intellectual disabilities
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.056
H-Index - 63
eISSN - 1468-3148
pISSN - 1360-2322
DOI - 10.1111/j.1468-3148.2007.00374.x
Subject(s) - behaviour modification , challenging behaviour , psychology , intellectual disability , clinical psychology , psychotherapist , psychiatry
Background A combination of an attachment‐based therapy and behaviour modification was investigated for children with persistent challenging behaviour. Method Six clients with visual and severe intellectual disabilities, severe challenging behaviour and with a background of pathogenic care were treated. Challenging behaviour was recorded continuously in the residential home and during therapy sessions. Alternating treatments were given by two therapists. In phase 1, the experimental therapist attempted to build an attachment relationship in sessions alternating with sessions in which a control therapist provided positive attention only. In phase 2, both therapists applied the same behaviour modification protocol. Results Across clients, challenging behaviour in the residential home decreased during the attachment therapy phase. The behaviour modification sessions conducted by the experimental therapist resulted in significantly more adaptive target behaviour than the sessions with the control therapist. Conclusion For these clients with a background of attachment problems, attachment‐based behaviour modification treatment may have important advantages over standard behaviour modification.