Positive Benefits Of The Foster Care System

Positive Benefits Of The Foster Care System
Benefits of the foster care system include: keeping children out of abusive homes; providing
stability; and cultivating secure attachments. In general, proponents of the foster care system believe
it plays an essential role in providing a safe and stable environment for maltreated, neglected, and
abused children (Lockwood, Friedman, & Christian, 2015). In fact, "advocates suggest that family
situations that necessitate the use of the foster care system are often very complex and therefore
require patience and time. They emphasize that the temporary nature of foster care is the best
solution while state agencies work to achieve family reunification or otherwise resolve the family
crisis" (Geraldine & Wagner, para 4, 2015).
Notably, children placed with a foster care family have better outcomes than children who are
institutionalized. For instance, research conducted by Bos et al., (2011), shows children sheltered
with a foster family are more likely to develop a secure attachment than those placed in institutional
care. Also, according to Cashmere and Paxman (2006), children who experience stability in a foster
care setting are more likely to have improved academic achievements and cognitive abilities. So, "a
stable foster care placement can have positive effects on a vulnerable youth population compared to
the alternatives of living in institutional or group care or in a home with neglect or maltreatment"
(Lockwood, Friedman, & Christian, p. 310, 2015). Historically,
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Mental Health Of Students With Anxiety And Depression
Today, more than ever, schools must be educated regarding the mental health of students and any
challenges that they may face when working towards academic and social success. There have been
many published evidence based approaches when working with students with anxiety or depression,
but there are some disorders that have not had the focus that they deserve and leave school
counselors and teachers attempting to navigate through services without a thorough understanding
of the needs of the students. Attachment disorders fall into this category, specifically reactive
attachment disorder (RAD). "Unlike many disorders that are proven or presumed to have a genetic,
biochemical, or other internal basis, RAD, by definition, is caused by the environment" (Shaw &
Pdez, 2007, p. 71). As a result, there is little evidence of treatments that have had a major effect.
However, there are interventions that have been beneficial to supporting the child in the school
environment. Attachment disorders are rare within the general population and include only about
one percent of children, while these disorders are present in about forty percent of children who
were adopted or reside in foster care (Losinski, Katsiyannis, White, & Wiseman, 2016). Children in
foster care have been a population that I have worked extensively with and find that they are often
times underserved in many aspects. By identifying the etiology, implications for the students, and
interventions for school professionals,

Reactive Attachment Disorder ( Ptsd )
Reactive Attachment Disorder 1. Introduction Reactive Attachment Disorder is classified under
Trauma– and Stressor– Related Disorders under the new Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of
Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM–5; American Psychiatric Association, 2013). The following
mental disorders are also classified under Trauma– and Stressor–Related Disorders: Disinhibited
Social Engagement Disorder, Posttraumatic Stress Disorder, Acute Stress Disorder, Adjustment
Disorders, Other Specified Trauma– and Stressor–Related Disorder, and Unspecified Trauma– and
Stressor–Related Disorder (DSM–5; American Psychiatric Association, 2013). Reactive Attachment
Disorder is a fairly uncommon mental disorder where the child (onset is usually before age five) has
severe disturbances in social relatedness with others (Seligman & Reichenberg, 2014). This results
in the child not turning to a primary caregiver (e.g. mother) for comfort, protection, or support. This
behavior of not seeking support from a primary caregiver is related to the main diagnostic feature of
the disorder, which is underdeveloped attachment (DSM–5; American Psychiatric Association,
2013). As a result of underdeveloped attachments with the primary caregiver, the child will display
aggressive and hostile towards the mother an may even seek attachment with strangers (Seligman &
Reichenberg, 2014; Speltz, McClellan, DeKlyen, & Jones, 1999). Altogether, there are six main
diagnostic criteria for Reactive Attachment

Case Study : Transference, Reactive Attachment Disorder
Case Study: Transference The flowing case study of a female, Mallory, suffering from transference,
reactive attachment disorder, and depressive disorder due to reactive attachment disorder believed to
be caused by incidents that occurred between her and an important individual in her life. Mallory
initially comes to see Dr. Santos for what she descried as mild depressive symptoms. Patient/Client
Mallory is a 25–year–old female. She said before coming that she is dissatisfied with multiple
aspects of her life. She thought that she would be married or seriously involved with a romantic
partner, but she was not. Although her job paid her bills, she found it boring and somewhat
unfulfilling. She described mild depressive symptoms to Dr. Santos prior to her first visit.
Symptoms and Diagnosis The patient claimed that she had mild depression before her visit. She said
that she felt like her job was unfulfilling and that she was disappointed that she did not have a
partner. Once she came and sat down with Dr. Santos, she would talk for about ten minutes and then
interrupt herself by apologizing saying that the doctor was 'bored or had better things to do than
listen to her'. She told her that was not the case and to keep going. She interrupted herself again
three times during her session. Dr. Santos payed an appropriate amount of attention to Mallory. She
was careful with her body language, eye contact, and made sure to make Mallory feel that she was
interested in what she was

My Dream Future
"I like the dreams of the future, better than the history of the past" Thomas Jefferson quoted. This
relates to my life in many ways. My dreams of the future help me to keep my eye on the prize and to
never give up while working towards my dreams. My past is history, as Thomas Jefferson said, but
as I have learned, I can choose to learn from my past and move on, or can let it be my present or
future again. Even though I would like to go back and change my past, I know that my hardship
have made me determined, passionate and caring. In the past I was taught by nature to be
determined. One day I had to be determined to find my next meal, while other days I needed to be
strong–willed so that I had clothes on my back. This was because my birth mother was a drug addict
and an alcoholic. Even though I was only two years old, I had to cook, and take care of myself and
my brother. I was determined to live and carry on to my greatest ability. Never in my life would I
have though that I could come this far. I have had many set backs, which made me feel like life was
not worth a thing. I was an extremely angry person and life was hard for me. I remember as a kid I
would be very violent and mean towards the ones I loved and even myself. It never occurred to me
that I just wanted someone to love and support me through tough times. Besides my past being hard,
I felt that I would never be like my birth parents. I wanted to be more like my adopted parents
because after all, they showed

The Importance Of A Child 's Social Development From...
INTRO
As a young child it is vital to have an attached relationship with your primary caregivers. John
Bowlby ––– a British psychologist, psychiatrist, and psychoanalyst, who specializes in child
development ––– introduced a theory that attached relationships allow emotional support and
comfort for infants, only if the caregiver is in the child's life for a long enough periods of time
(Susskind, 1). He was the first person to explore the idea of the attachment theory. Parents, siblings,
and peers all play a big role in a child's social development from infancy through adulthood
(Susskind, 1). If these relationships are constantly disrupted from people being removed from the
child's life, children will typically have a harder time forming good social behaviors and
relationships. While some people grew up without stable caregivers from a young age can grow into
adults with completely normal social behaviors, ultimately, children from these situations tend to
have a harder time forming proper social behaviors and friendships in adulthood. Therefore it's
necessary for kids to have stable relationships with their parental figures or primary guardians from
a young age in order to form their own relationships in the future. Social development is affected by
many different factors. Firstly, parenting styles are one of the biggest effects on socio–development,
mainly because it is so prominent in a child's life from infancy through adulthood. Socio–
development explains a child's

Reactive Attachment Disorder
For our research paper we chose to analyze the main character in Good Will Hunting. The character,
Will Hunting, portrayed by Matt Damon is a young man who is working as a janitor at the notorious
MIT. The movie displays several times that Will faced a lot of troubles in his youth, and these
experiences shaped his adult personality and attitude towards life. The movie gives evidence that
Will suffers from quite a few psychological disorders, however the film focuses on one in particular
that we concluded is Reactive Attachment Disorder. Unfortunately, Will was an orphan, who was
bounced around from home to home, all while being mistreated and misguided along the way. Due
to his lack of a role model and no adult taking an active interest in his life, he becomes a man who
loves to argue, party, fight, and has no clear goals or purpose. What makes Will different from boys
who faced his background trauma is Will's intelligence and his gift for Math. The movie informs the
viewers of this by showing him solve quite a few extremely difficult math problems that he endured
during his janitorial shift at MIT. The professor, Lambeau, displays shock ... Show more content on
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The one that stands out the most, however, and is explicitly stated within the movie, is an
Attachment Disorder. As far as specifics go, Reactive Attachment Disorder (RAD) appears to be
what Will currently is suffering from. While this is typically a disorder that affects children, it may
easily carry on into adulthood if it is not treated and taken care of. This is exactly what has occurred
in the case of Will Hunting. However, one is not simply born with RAD, it is a disorder that occurs
when a child misses the chance to bond with an adult. Some of the situations that lead to RAD
include, but are not limited to, abuse, neglect, foster care, and abandonment. Unfortunately, Will
Hunting experienced all of these situations in his

Reactive Attachment Disorder Case Study
Nearly nine years ago, I learned that my neighbors and family friends had taken a little boy into
their home through the foster care system. As a nine–year–old, I was excited for another friend in
the neighborhood to play with. However, when my family went over to meet Isaac, I was
disappointed. My new friend was an irritable six–month–old. He cried constantly and would howl
whenever he was touched. At that time, I thought that he was simply hungry or tired; I had no idea
of the issues that would arise in the following years.
As Isaac grew older, he launched into the terrible twos with a vengeance. He never listened to
anyone in his family, he was surprisingly violent, and I never heard him speak a kind word or an "I
love you" to his parents. Although none of us knew it at the time, these behaviors were symptoms of
an issue far more serious than toddler tantrums. Isaac grew older and his terrible twos turned into
terrifying threes, frightful fours, and fearsome fives. I ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Although he was diagnosed with a multitude of behavioral and psychological disorders, Reactive
Attachment Disorder (RAD) was to blame for the behaviors I had noticed. Even though neither I nor
my mother knew what this disorder entailed, I asked her questions to develop an understanding. I
wondered why he was socially distant, why he acted so violently, what happened to make him this
way, and if he would ever become "normal." Throughout the years, my mother and I worked
together to create a basic understanding: Isaac was abused and neglected as a baby, so he was unable
to learn how to connect socially. With this primitive explanation, I was able to understand both
Isaac's struggles and the problems his family must have faced. Additionally, I was able to begin the
journey of understanding that there's more to people than meets the eye; everyone has gone through
incredible experience that I could never

Psychiatric Illness: Reactive Attachment Disorder
Reactive Attachment Disorder (RAD) is a psychiatric illness that is characterized by problems with
emotional attachments and usually presents itself around the age of five (Reactive attachment
disorder, 2013). Parents or caregivers might notice that the child has emotional attachment issues by
the age of one though (Reactive attachment disorder, 2013). The DSM–IV goes on to describe RAD
as also including the first or second category (American Psychiatric Association, 2000). The first
category describes a failure to interact in developmentally appropriate ways while the second
category describes an inability discriminate appropriate attachments to different groups of people
(American Psychiatric Association, 2000). Boekamp (2008) describes ... Show more content on
Helpwriting.net ...
Bartholemew and Horowitz (1991) described a model of attachment in which the child's image of
the self and others are the most important roles. The four categories in this model are secure
attachment in which the child has a sense of worthiness and that others are accepting (Bartholomew
& Horowitz, 1991). Preoccupied attachment describes a feeling of unworthiness but with positive
feelings towards others, fearful attachment combines unworthiness with a negative feeling towards
others (Bartholomew & Horowitz, 1991). Dismissing attachment describes a feeling of worthiness
with negative feeling towards others (Bartholomew & Horowitz, 1991). Pignotti (2011) explored the
effects that early institutional care has on kids that are later adopted and their risk of RAD. Kemph
& Voeller (2007) describe how RAD is seen to occur because of poor nurturing from the mother as
well as several other prenatal factors. Minnis, Green, O'Conner, Liew, Glaser, Taylor, & Sadiq
(2009) compare RAD with insecure attachment patterns and find that RAD is not the same as
attachment insecurity, especially because it occurs early on. Other studies have tried to go further
and study RAD and possible biological mechanisms that cause it. Kočovská, Wilson, Young,
Wallace, Gorski, Follan, & Minnis (2013) studied the effects of reactive attachment disorder (RAD)
and cortisol

Reactive Attachment Disorder And Its Effect On All Aspects...
Reactive attachment disorder is a unique disorder in its onset, impact on all aspects of life, and
diversity of subtypes. In the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual – IV (DSM– IV), reactive attachment
disorder was characterized by two subtypes; the disinhibited and the inhibited subtypes. The
inhibited subtype was identified as being withdrawn, unemotional, and having difficulty forming
any sort of significant relationship with others. The disinhibited subtype's most defining
characteristic was indiscriminate friendliness, and overwhelming trust for strangers. While the two
subtypes seem like completely different disorders that have no relation, the reason they were
originally put together in the DSM–IV was their origins. These disorders originate from severe
maltreatment in childhood, and are fairly rare because of the level of severity necessary for the
disorder to develop. Their common origin hints at a problem within the attachment relationship as a
potential source of difficulties. The name itself is derived from a reaction to pathogenic care in early
childhood.
Attachment is a crucial part of development, as evidenced by these two disorders. This theory was
the work of John Bowlby and Mary Ainsworth, in theory and in practice respectively. The theory is
based upon the relationship developed between a child and caregiver beginning in infancy. There is
also adult attachment theory, but that is less relevant to reactive attachment disorder. The attachment
relationship

Informative Speech On Reactive Attachment Disorder
Greetings Ladrena! I thoroughly enjoyed your informative post.
In your post, you gave a great example of how neurological disorders can be more physically
affective, while others might affect one's behavior. As we have learned, many of the neurological
disorders can occur within the first few years of a child's life. Reactive attachment disorder (RAD) is
another disorder that impacts a child's behavior. According to Broderick & Blewitt (2015), "The
disorder is characterized by highly disturbed and inappropriate social relatedness in early childhood
(beginning before age 5) which is not due to other mental disorders (e.g., ADHD, ODD, or CD) or
to developmental delay (e.g., MR and PDD) (p.162). RAD can form in a child that has experienced
neglect

Reactive Attachment Disorder Paper
Reactive Attachment Disorder is a psychological disorder which effects children and adults in the
United States. Reactive Attachment Disorder or "RAD", "is a rare but serious condition in which an
infant or young child doesn't establish healthy attachments with parents or caregivers" (Mayo Clinic
Staff, 2014). Adolescents suffer from reactive attachment disorder in the United States due to a lack
of appropriate parent care which can be cured through seeking the assistance of professionals.
RAD occurs, "when children have been unable to consistently connect with a parent or primary
caregiver" (Smith, Saisan, Segal, 2016). These causes occur in a child's "early life" (Smith et al.,
2016). RAD can occur for a number of reasons. Some of these ... Show more content on
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One of the key elements of RAD therapy is incorporating a parenting skills class into the child's
counseling. The skills class should accomplish at least three goals. The first goal should be to
"educate" the parents about their child's disorder, the second goal should be to educate the parents to
"protect" themselves from the child's "pathology", the third goal should be to establish a "bond"
with the child through activities rather than therapy (Buenning, n.d.). By educating the parents about
why their child is behaving the way they are, the parents are able to relate to their child. This assists
the child in therapy because, "understanding your child often leads to increased feelings of
compassion for him" (Buenning,

Reactive Attachment Disorder And Adoption Case Study
"Understanding a secret" A secret can be confessing a lie WITHOUT PROMPTING or a sharing
misdeed they have done in the past. The confession must be said on their own volition and out of
regret". Bayliss, Kate. "Reactive Attachment Disorder and Adoption." Parents. Parents, 11 June
2015. Web. 14 Feb. 2017. DSED_ a pattern of behavior in which a child actively approaches and
interacts with unfamiliar adults in a impulsive way. Bayless, Kate. "Reactive Attachment Disorder
and Adoption." Parents. Parents, 11 June 2015. Web. 14 Feb. 2017. " when a child is angry she will
not seek comfort from caregiver and may respond negatively to warm that is given "Symptoms of
Disinhibited Social Engagement Disorder." Psych Central. N.p., 17 July 2016.

Reactive Attachment Disorder Case Study
The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (5th ed.; DSM–5; American Psychiatric
Association, 2013) defined Reactive Attachment Disorder (RAD) as, "a consistent patterns of
emotionally withdrawn behavior towards adult caregivers" (p. 265). There is a variety of criteria for
RAD, the first is that the child does not seek comfort when distress and they often do not respond to
comfort when distressed. Second, the child lacks social and emotional responsiveness with
unexplained episodes of irritability, sadness, or fearfulness even during non–threatening interactions
with adult caregivers. The third criteria are that there is a continuing absence from caregivers
involving basic emotional needs for comfort, stimulation, and affection (APA, 2013). In addition,
RAD could be developed ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Attachments and relationships are developed at a young age and any distressed or non–existent
attachments can affect the child's developing brain and their future relationships with caregivers and
others. Though not true for all, many cases of RAD are attributed to children who grow up in
institutions or have been adopted and/or placed in foster homes (APA, 2013). Children who grow up
experiencing social neglect and deprivation can experience disinhibited behavior. These children
will over–ride their developing brain that helps them differentiate directed attachments because they
will seek emotional support at any cost (Minnis et al., 2006). On the other hand, other children may
avoid and internalize feelings due the social neglect they experienced. Both varieties of behavior
results from unstable and neglectful relationships from caregivers and other prominent figures in the
life of the

Reactive Attachment Disorder Paper
Reactive attachment disorder is a disorder that impairs a child's social skills before the age of five.
(Shi, 2014) Children diagnosed with reactive attachment disorder have a hard time getting close to
others. They are ones who are neglected, abused or constantly changing caregivers. It is hard for
these children to get close to others when all they know is negative things about personal
relationships. If a child is raised not knowing how to trust or be close to anyone, they will have
issues with relationships.
"The child withdraws to a dark hole disconnected from the rest of the world, or watches people with
fear and hatred at a far distance, with an internal chaos taking charge of the child's life." (Shi, 2014)
If a child has been a victim of neglect or abuse, they will have a hard time trusting others. It severely
affects them and their way of viewing the world. They get disconnected and stay away from others.
They start to resent others, for that's all they've ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
The main criteria is that it had to have started before the age of five. "A threshold of neglect may be
necessary for signs of these disorders to appear, but more detailed evaluations of the caregiving
environments are needed to determine which components are caregiving are specifically associated
with risk." (Zeanah, 2015) Children with RAD can lash out and have outbursts. They suffer from
depression and anxiety. Not having a stable environment can affect their mentality. They suffer from
depression due to the lack of a caregiver in their lives. They lash out at their new caregivers and
keep to themselves. It is difficult for them to adjust because it is a new change for them. They have a
hard time having new relationships and have difficulties in school with their teachers, classmates,
and schoolwork. (Dranoff) The child rarely seeks comfort due to the fact that they have always been
by themselves to comfort

A Research on Reactive Attachment Disorder of Early Childhood Yolanda Ashton Liberty
University Abstract This paper explores the psychological disorder known as Reactive Attachment
Disorder (RAD). It will investigate how a child diagnosed with RAD will have an inefficient
connection with his or her caregiver during an early age. RAD is considered a serious disorder
which affects infant and young children who have difficulties establishing healthy relationship with
their caregiver or parents. The flawed relationship will affect the child's ability to establish normal
affiliation with other human being. Thus, a child's rapport was a major determinant in the etiology of
... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
129). Corbin (2007) cited that "The disorder is assumed to be the result of pathological parenting
and often associated with developmental delays and childhood neglect" (p. 540). The DSM – IV –
TR indicated that "laboratory findings consistent with malnutrition may be present" (APA, p. 128)
and physical findings might be associated with medical conditions in connection with extreme
neglect that may include but not limited to delay in physical growth, evidence of physical abuse,
malnutrition, vitamin deficiencies, or infectious diseases (APA, p. 128). The DSM – IV – TR (APA,
2000) described two subtypes of the disorder which was identified to be caused by pathogenic care
as evidenced by persistent disregard of the child's emotional and physical needs (Corbin, 2007, p.
540). The subtypes are: Inhibited Type – the child persistently fails to initiate and to respond to most
social interactions in a developmentally appropriate way. The child shows a pattern of excessively
inhibited, hyper–vigilant, or highly ambivalent responses (e.g., frozen watchfulness, resistance to
comfort, or a mixture of approach and avoidance). Disinhibited Type – there is a pattern of diffuse
choice of attachment. The disturbance is not accounted for solely by developmental delay (e.g., as in
Mental Retardation) and does not meet criteria for Pervasive Developmental Disorder. (pp.127–128)
Risk factors According to the studies done by Mayo Clinic

Reactive Attachment Disorder ( Rad ) Essay
Reactive Attachment Disorder (RAD) was first introduced just over 20 years ago, with the
publication of DSM–III (American Psychiatric Association, 1980). In the DSM–IV. The disorder is
defined by aberrant social behavior that appears in early childhood and is evident cross
contextually(1994). The disorder describes aberrant social behaviors in young children that are
believed to derive from being reared in caregiving environments lacking species–typical nurturance
and stimulation, such as in instances such as maltreatment or institutional rearing. (First, M., &
Tasman, A. 2010) . In cases of RAD two major types of abnormalities have been cited; these include
an emotionally withdrawn/inhibited type and an indiscriminately social/disinhibited pattern (First,
M., & Tasman, A. 2010).Conditions in in foreign orphanages and institutions such as, multiple
caregivers, maltreatment, abuse, neglect, and others contribute to the inability for internationally
adopted children to form secure attachments. All of these factors contribute to internationally
adopted children being at a higher risk to develop attachment disorders such as RAD and other
behavioral problems. FIND THIS SOURCE AGAIN (Brian, S., Charles H., Z., & Michael, S.
(2003). Exploring psychopathology in early childhood: PTSD and attachment disorders in DC: 0–3
and DSM–IV. Infant Mental Health Journal, 24(4), 398–409. ) An ever–expanding number of U.S.
families are seeking to build their families through international

Understanding Reactive Attachment Disorder ( Dsm )
Understanding Reactive Attachment Disorder An L. WineKing Liberty University Abstract This
paper is a review of how attachment disorders were first defined in the Diagnostic Statistical Manual
of Mental Health Disorders (DSM) in 1980, and how the descriptions have evolved over the past 30
years of research efforts which have provided new insights into the disorder. The main attachment
disorder discussed is Reactive Attachment Disorder (RAD), that has recently been expanded to
include a new diagnosis term called DSED – Disinhibited Social Engagement Disorder. In order to
provide effective therapeutic interventions to children who may suffer from RAD, the professionals
they come in contact with on a regular basis must be provided the skills to recognize the common
indicators of the disorder as early as possible in a child's development. RAD, if left undiagnosed,
can have devastating effects throughout the lifespan for the individuals who suffer from it.
Keywords: attachment disorder, attachment disturbances, attachment style, foster care Introduction
This literature review focuses on a general understanding of the history of attachment, as well as the
basis of what attachment means in early childhood development. It will also review how the
diagnosis of RAD has evolved over the years since it was first introduced as a condition in 1980.
This paper will reveal what scientists suggest happens when a child's attachment to his/her primary
caregiver is

Long Term Effects Of Early Trauma On Children
The Long Term Effects of Early Trauma on Children in Foster and Adoptive Settings
Alyssa Lodhi
Amberton University
October 25th, 2014
Personal Journey
When I was five years old, my mom told me that there were some children who didn't have moms. I
was shocked, and told my mother frankly that I'd be their mom. Caring for children with early
trauma has been the driving passion of my life. When I was six and again when I was eight, my
parents adopted children from Vietnam. Having siblings who were born and orphaned in another
country put a very personal face for me on human rights and child welfare issues around the world.
I've spent the last four years working for the International Foster Care program at Catholic Charities
Fort ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Purpose
Because of this, my purpose in research will be to explore the long term effects on foster and
adopted children, and whether secure attachment to a primary caregiver provides an environment
that allows for emotional healing from traumatic events and their effects.
Significance
The study of the developmental implications of early trauma for children is essential for
understanding appropriate expectations and interventions for children to help foster and adoptive
families and child welfare workers maintain appropriate expectations for children who have been
adopted and better equip them to meet their children's unique needs. Considering that children who
have experienced traumatic removal from a primary caregiver are likely to exhibit behaviors that
lead to placement breakdowns and therefore more traumatic removals from caregivers, it is essential
for positive long term outcomes that the initial placement and child's existing connections be
preserved (Newton, R. R., Litrownik, A. J., & Landsverk, J. A., 2000). Additionally, foster parents
who hold appropriate expectations and understand causes and reasons for a child's behavior is
predictive of placement stability (Butler & Charles, 1999).
Operational Definitions for the Study
Trauma: a deeply distressing or disturbing experience or physical injury
Early trauma: Trauma that occurs between the ages of 0–6.
Normal Development:

Reactive Attachment Disorder: A Short Story
Imagine one moment you're outside playing football in the yard with your little brother, then in a
split second something triggers him and fills him with an uncontrollable rage that will have you
scared of someone in your own family. This is because my little brother Ty suffers from Reactive
Attachment Disorder and like many other foster kids Ty was neglected by his birth parents and then
did not establish an appropriate bond with a caregiver. To people unaware of Ty's mental illness he
may seem like a normal 16 year old that spends time with his family and enjoys working on his
dirtbikes. What the people don't see is the anger that fills him from when things don't play out the
way he wants them to. Ty's triggers usually come from when something doesn't go the way he
wanted them to, in his mind things need to play out exactly how he wants them to and if they don't
then the result is not a pleasant sight.
I first met Ty when I was around the age of four and felt something click between me and him
immediately. My family adopted Ty two years later and he has been my best friend since. When Ty
was younger he would easily get distracted and would mess around with everybody's stuff, but he
was just a kid and that was understandable. It was ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
People suffering from these illnesses might not always show it but when they do, it is very tough
and we should not judge their actions. From Ty I was able to realize how much he suffered which
allowed me to begin seeing the world and people with a new set of eyes. I try not to judge anymore
because you never know what people's struggles are and the may have it much harder than you. I
know how hard it is to live with someone who is affected by these illnesses but I also know how
much I love my brother and I believe that there are many people like me who will fight to help the
people who

Reactive Attachment Disorder Research Paper
Abigail Pelletier
Psychology
Dr. Michaud Abstract
Having any kind of disorder can be straining on a child and all whom are involved in their
environment. Having one that is forced upon, not hereditary, and caused by the people who are
supposed to love and care for the children the most, is truly strenuous. Reactive Attachment
Disorder can affect a child in every form, but most of all, it damages their soul. It effortlessly harms
a child's beautiful core, and easily drains their once vibrant colors. It is considered a rabid fire that
engulf the child's perspective on the world around them, and it is extremely hard to alter that
perception. RAD strikes every aspect of a child, and the damage cannot ... Show more content on
Helpwriting.net ...
There is no standard treatment for RAD, and there is no "magic" pill that fixes it. Though, it usually
includes a lot of the same elements, which includes psychological counseling, medication, and
family or play therapy. Another element is close and physical contact with the child and special
education services. It usually involves a team of professionals who specialize in attachment
disorders. It is crucial to try to treat RAD as early as possible. The main goal of treatment is to try to
provide the child a safe, secure, and loving environment so "that the child can begin and continue to
form a relationship with the parent or caregiver, to help the child increase their self–esteem and form
positive relationships with the people and world around them" (MFMER,

Oppositional Defiant Disorder Case Study Essay
As for Reactive Attachment Disorder, he rarely seeks comfort. If he comes to the partial room, it is
usually to avoid something else. He does not like talking about his feelings or even his day that
often. He will joke around with you, but it is like pulling teeth to have him be serious and talk about
serious issues appropriately. He has only had one foster family, but he has tried to contact his
biological mother and she turned him down. He does not like to get too close to anyone. He will
start to back away if he feels relationships are getting too close for comfort. He is a very sociable
child. He likes to talk and he will tell you he likes drama, but there is no emotional connection. He
could cut his friends without thinking twice about it. He is also very mean to some of his nicer
friends. He is very back and forth with relationships. He does not want the attention when it is being
given, but as soon as you go to walk away and not pay attention anymore, then he wants your help
again and will start working on his assignments. He is an attention seeker. It bothers him if you walk
away or use planned ignoring with him. Usually he will go back to class ... Show more content on
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It is difficult for him to manage minor frustrations. The smallest thing will get to him such as a
student saying he is annoying and he will not go to classes for the rest of the day. He argues with
authority figures and will refuse to comply. He will stay in the partial program room and will not
leave after his short break. It takes a lot to get him to go. Assistance can be called or the door will be
open and the counselor will say hi to other students in the hall which will embarrass him enough to
get to class. He is the king of spite. He will say hurtful things to others at times, but then other times
he can be so kind. He has put another student up against the locker. With his love for drama, he
loves to watch others

A Randomized Controlled Trial Comparing Foster Care And...
In the U.S. 397,122 children are living without permanent families in the foster care system, as of
2012, more than 58,000 children in the U.S. foster care system were placed in institutions or group
homes, not in traditional foster homes (CCAI, 2012). Can these children developmental need be
meet in institutions and enable children to make sucker attachments? The American Journal of
Psychiatry's article "A Randomized Controlled Trial Comparing Foster Care and Institutional Care
for Children With Signs of Reactive Attachment Disorder" examines signs of emotionally
withdrawn and indiscriminately social reactive attachment disorder in three groups of young
Romanian children that were abandoned by their parents. The placement of children into an
institution was made by Romanian child protective officials. The research group ensured that no
child, once placed in foster care, through the Bucharest Early Intervention Project, would be
returned to an institutional setting, either during or after the study (Smyke, 2012). The article
follows perfect experimental design according to Introductory Psychology (Manley 2010). Three
groups were used in each condition of the independent variable which is the condition of care each
child receives. The three groups were: children that were placed into institutionalized care, children
placed into foster care, and children who were raised in their biological families. The children raised
in their biological families were born at the same

What are the consequences when children are not given the love, a sense of safety, and care they
need? While some of the behaviors of Reactive Attachment Disorder has been noted as far back as
the mid–20th century (Fox and Zeanah 32), and was not even introduced as a disorder until 1980 in
the 3rd edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (Gleason and Zeanah
207). Children have been exhibiting the symptoms of Reactive Attachment Disorder long before
scientist started documenting it. During the early years, not much was known about Reactive
Attachment Disorder, although scientist have learned much about this disorder since. Unfortunately,
it is a common misconception that only adopted children have this disorder. The thought is that
children taken from their parental units by state officials or from orphanages, mostly from overseas,
at a young age and placed into new homes caused this problem, but this has since been found to be
untrue. Children that do not receive the nurturing love, the feeling of safety, and are abused in many
different ways will have this disorder. The life of a child diagnosed with Reactive Attachment
Disorder can be extremely difficult due to the characteristic angry outbursts, the habitual telling of
untruths, and recurrent stealing which can cause the people around them have a difficult time
making a connection with them.
In the past many people felt children with Reactive Attachment Disorder

The Spirit Catches You And You Fall Down Essay
Cultural Diversity in the U.S.
The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down or quag dab peg is said to mean "a soul stealing dab; peg
means to catch or hit; and quag means to fall over with one's roots still in the ground, as grain might
be beaten down by wind or rain" (Fadiman, 1997). The Lee family belonged to the Hmong tribe,
which was the basis of their differing beliefs in comparison with modern medicine. Lia's parents
believed that when she was three months of age, she had been startled when her older sister, Yer,
slammed the door of the Lee family's apartment. This resulted in Lia's first seizure which her parents
believed made Lia particularly fit for divine office. The Hmong believed epileptics became shamans
or medicine men and ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Dee naturally fell in love with baby Lia and still had room in her heart to love on Nao Kao and Foua
who were Lia's worn out parents. She treated the Hmong people with more empathy than the sum of
all of Lia's doctors combined. An outstanding example of Dee's selflessness was when she carried
Lia in a backpack while she carried her own youngest child on her front; she also let her sleep in her
bed, and breastfed her along with her own baby. Out of all the children she ever cared for, Mrs.
Korda only ever recommended Lia to be reunited with her family. When she entered Lia's hospital
room for the first time, she was immediately seen by American people and doctors as the smart
white woman which was in stark contrast to the way the Lee family was viewed among Western
doctors.
After the Lees were given back custody of their little girl, their family and children still remained
friends with the Kordas and their children with frequent visits. Often when Dee would take Lia to
her doctor's appointments, she would leave her own youngest in the care of Foua. In my honest
opinion, this was one of the purest forms of trust and the fact that she displayed this kind of
fellowship with Lia's tired and worn out parents was a beautiful picture of two different cultures
learning how to live in harmony. Lastly, I admire how the Kordas did not ask nor receive any
recognition or praise for how they helped the Lee family although it was surely no easy feat to take
care of a child

Theoretical Case Conceptualization Orientation
The counseling settings is a Community Mental Health Facility which involves in working with
families going through adoptions. Client B and adopted parents came to the facility to address the
client anxiety, emotional withdrawal issues and anger problem. Client has been showing symptoms
of distress and depressive mood. Both adoptive parents are concern about the issues as it is affecting
the relationship building process thus seeking help for a better relationship and for client B to feel a
sense of belonging.
Theoretical Case Conceptualization Orientation
My theoretical orientation is Person Centered Theory. Carl Rogers is the author of the person
centered approach. The major theme in the therapeutic relationship is based on a non–judgmental ...
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The counselor selected a diagnosis based on the use of the Child assessment form and the
Behavioral checklist and the reports on his case notes and present a diagnosis of 301.81 (F43.10)
Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) American Psychiatric Association, Diagnostic and statistical
manual of mental disorders, 5th ed,( 2013). This diagnosis was established because the client does
show symptoms of distress in his interactions at home. Children who are exposed to intense fear and
anxiety, after experiencing traumatic or life–threatening event and may feel fearful and anxious as
well as 'emotionally numb, do become angry withdrawn and irritable. Catani and Sossalla, (2015)
noted that children who undergo abuse in a traumatic way will have PTSD. They also sometimes
avoid people, places that remind them of the

Foster Care : The Negative Effects Of Foster Care
Life deals out cards from a deck where no one knows what luck they might get. Those in foster care,
for example, receive one difficult hand in life; growing up without the nurture and care of a parent.
In fact, Mother Teresa once said, "Loneliness and the feeling of being unwanted is the most terrible
poverty" (Calcutta 774). Even though people might lack necessities, such as food, water, shelter; the
feeling of depreciation causes physical and mental pain. Foster care is a system that helps minors
find a stable home; however, when they become adults at the age of 18, the government stops aiding
them. In 2015, about 20,000 people that reached the age of 18, stopped receiving help from the
government; being neglected from biological family, and welfare, make the thousands that age out
of foster care more prone to becoming homeless and incarcerated ("Foster Care"). Even though,
foster care's purpose is to improve the life of those without a stable family, there are faults in the
system that cause harm. Foster care has negative effects on humans, such as emotional trauma, anti–
social conduct, and negative inclinations.
To begin with, experiences that root anxiety, causes minors to have emotional detriments in foster
care. The article, "Reactive Attachment Disorder of Infancy or Early Childhood", by Jody Bower
talks about an illness that hurts foster children's emotive state. For example, not being able to trust
others is an emotional disturbance among youth who obtain

Essay On Reactive Attachment Disorder
Reactive Attachment Disorder (RAD) is a condition that develops when an infant or young child
doesn't form healthy emotional attachments with their parents or caregivers.
How we will live and act as adults begins to take shape at a very early age, and so many things can
contribute to this is a positive and negative way. One of the detrimental effects to not developing
bonds at an early age is to the growth and development of the brain. To me, one of the basic
emotions that make us human is empathy. That is what allows us to understand and relate to others,
to show understanding and compassion towards them, to identify with them. Children who suffer
from RAD tend to lack empathy as adults, shy away from social situations, never ask questions or
engage in any way, and cope with their emotions independently. They can also suffer from eating
disorders, PTSD, and drug and alcohol abuse, and to me, the worst part is this was forming and
shaping them before they even had a say in their ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Priority is to make sure the child is in a safe and comfortable environment, one that will meet the
physical and emotional needs of them and next is to change the relationship between the child and
the caregiver. However, I find it difficult to understand if a child is in a situation severe enough to
inflict that type of emotional damage on them, who is paying enough attention to know there is a
problem to begin with? So now we have a family in therapy trying to get to the root of the problem,
to understand why the primary caregiver shows no emotion towards the child. The child must
essentially be reprogrammed in hopes of being able to function more normally, but what lasting
damage is already done. If they don't show any signs of success towards recovering from RAD,
what happens then? Unfortunately, society also suffers from emotionally traumatized

The Online Simulation My Virtual Child
In the online simulation My Virtual Child, I was responsible in making crucial decisions that
impacted how my child developed. Each decision would either negatively or positively impact my
child's future. The decisions ranged from how I, as the parent would react towards my child when
they were fussy and crying, to making a decision regarding education. These decisions no matter
how slightly small or big played a huge role in my child's future. My parenting style is shown
through the many different decisions I made throughout my child's development. When making
certain decisions I asked myself how I was going to assess the situation. How was I going to make
the decision where it would benefit me and my child in the future? I would describe my parenting
style as very disciplined, however, laid back during certain situations. When there was a problem I
made the decision to address the problem with my child. For example, at 18 months, Leo started
saying the word "no" and started to refuse help. I made the decision to let him choose between two
choices which are both options that I want him to do. This allowed my child to become an active
part in making choices during a certain situation. At three years old, Leo was being pushed around
in school and was lacking leadership abilities. I made the decision to arrange play dates with other
kids and praised Leo for sharing and communicating appropriately with the other children. During
adolescence, Leo's self–esteem was pretty high,

Problems in Foster Care Essay example
By dictionary definition foster care is a noun meaning, "supervised care for delinquents or neglected
children usually in an institution or substitute home" (dictionary.refernce). According to federal
definition "foster care is twenty–four hour substitute care for children placed away from their
parents or guardians and for whom the stat agency has placement and care responsibility." This also
includes placing them into foster families, foster homes of relatives, emergency shelters, group
living, residential homes, child care institutions, and pre adoption places, (TuCollaborative). The
ideal foster care system is very beneficial because it helps keep children that "have no place else to
go" (du Pont, 48) out of the streets and in safe, ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
These people that are in charge that are in charge do not care if the children are put into a worse
situation or if they're still alive and well because as long as they're getting that bonus money they
don't care. Even if it means a child is in harm or possibly dead. " the Secretary shall make a grant to
each State that is an incentive–eligible State for a fiscal year in an amount equal to the adoption
incentive payment payable to the State under this section for the fiscal year, which shall be payable
in the immediately succeeding fiscal year" (Adoption and Safe Families Act [1997]). This all ties
into the laws, these laws are to some extent beneficial to children in foster care, but these laws
benefit the government and foster parents more than anything. An example would be the New Jersey
Program that basically bribes the foster parents (Adoption, 43, 44). Conna Craig was quoted saying,
"Five steps forward and two steps back, which is net gain but federal law doesn't yet fully meet the
needs of children" (du Pont, 48). What Ms. Craig meant was that the foster care system's reforms
may be a little bit better but are still not at the levels they should be. Sometimes the states find loop
holds that they can still acquire money. For example, the states can still be paid even if the jobs
aren't done correctly. Conna Craig makes another very good point, "If the states don't do the job they
shouldn't get the money" (du Pont, 45).

Analysis Of The Book ' Three Little Words ' By Ashley...
Introduction The book I read was 'Three Little Words.' It is written by Ashley Rhodes–Courter. This
book was published in 2008. It was published in New York, New York. The book was published by
Atheneum Books for Young Readers Company. It has a total of 336 pages. Three Little Words is
organized in chapters. It has a total of 13 chapters. This book is a memoir so it is all about Ashley's
life in the foster care program. Each chapter talks about the hardships she went through at all the
different foster homes. Ashley was taken into foster care when she was only three years old. She was
in 14 different homes in a total of nine years. She had a brother, Luke that was also in the foster care
program with her. They were separated multiple times, but always ended up at the same foster home
together. It was not until Ashley was adopted that they were separated for good. Ashley's mom was
in prison multiple times, she was also a drug addict. She had visitation rights, but her visitations
were always supervised. At these visitations she always promised Ashley that she was going to turn
her life around, and get both her and Luke back. It never happened; as a result, Ashley had a lot of
trust issues and a hard time believing people actually cared for her. Ashley was adopted and had a
tough first couple of years adjusting to having a family. It wasn't until about the end of the book
where she finally got used to having a real family.
Summary
Lorraine Rhodes was a single

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, ... Show more content on
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Corbin (2007) describes reactive attachment disorder as a biopsychosocial disturbance of
attachment. There is interconnectedness between the brain and body which helps explain the
development of relationships. Reactive attachment disorder has been known to be caused by a
primary caregiver's lack of affection where, in turn, the infant or child experience neglect or abuse,
difficulty coping, inability to function in families, at school or with peers (Taylor, 2002; Wimmer,
Vonk, & Bordnick, 2009; Becker–Weidman, 2006 ). In a recent case study, a child diagnosed with
reactive attachment disorder had a background of their biological parent being a cocaine and an
alcohol addict, therefore, causing the child to exhibit symptoms such as demanding behavior, social
isolation, lying, lack of cause and affect reasoning, and non–engaging and unaffectionate with
adopted parents. Moreover, in the process of diagnosing/assessing a child with RAD, it is important
to note that RAD is a term that has been used interchangeably with attachment disorder by therapist;
they are not intended to be understood as synonyms. While having a history of pathogenic care is
required before diagnosing a child with RAD, it would not be surprising that the child has had a
history of significant injuries and a report of poor mental health (Center for Child & Family Health,
2009). According to the

Reactive Attachment Disorder Essay
Reactive attachment disorder is a result of a child not having a deep emotional connection with a
primary caregiver. Reactive attachment disorder is developed in children that may have received
extreme negative care and do not form a healthy emotional attachment with primary caregivers such
as parents before the age of five. This form of attachment isn't as common as other attachment
disorders. It is important for children to develop a sense of security and trust from the beginning of
life from primary caregivers. Parents' or caregivers' responsiveness to a child's needs can affect the
child's social and cognitive development. This responsiveness also builds the foundation for trust.
As a baby, the child learns that when it cries, the parent ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Treatment first starts with getting the child in a safe secure environment with a trusted caregiver.
Once the child is in a safe environment with a trusted caregiver, the process of starting a healthy
relationship with that caregiver would be the next step. Another step may be to bring a psychiatrist
in to talk with the child and caregiver. Teaching proper parenting skills is highly important to be able
to teach the parents how to properly care for the child and show affection without causing any upset.
The caregiver will need to continue to show the child affection and meet the child's needs. There
isn't any medication treatment for reactive attachment disorder, although a doctor may prescribe a
medication to help with anger or behavioral

Reactive Attachment Disorder And The Age Of Five And...
Reactive attachment disorder manifests before the age of five and affects how a child is able to
attach to their guardians, teachers, friends, authority figures, and any other person in their lives.
There are two recognized types of reactive attachment disorder. The inhibited type and the
disinhibited type (Rhodes, 2016). The inhibited type is "emotionally withdrawn" (Roberds & Davis,
2011). They do not initiate social relations or respond developmentally appropriately. The
disinhibited type could also be called "indiscriminate" (Roberds & Davis, 2011). They will look for
comfort or interaction from strangers or caregivers indiscriminately. They can also be "described as
shallow and attention seeking" (Roberds & Davis, 2011). Some of the symptoms of reactive
attachment disorder, or RAD, could stem from other disorders such as post–traumatic stress
disorder. "Children with RAD may lack empathy, may intentionally harm themselves or others, and
may be hypervigilant. Children with RAD have also been observed to exhibit impulsive and self–
endangering behaviors. They may generally struggle with emotional and behavioral regulation.
Children diagnosed with RAD may have related issues stemming from abuse and neglect that are
not part of RAD that also need professional attention. These include unattended medical conditions,
as well as trouble with speech or language" (Roberds & Davis, 2011). Some sources also include
trouble understanding cause and effect as well as a problem with

Reactive Attachment Disorder ( Rad ) Treatment
Reactive attachment disorder (RAD) Treatment There are many treatments for RAD: inner child
work, cognitive restructuring, insight oriented therapy, holding therapy, re–parenting, cognitive
behavioral therapy, and theraplay to name a few. Nevertheless, some of them have proven to be
more effective than others, while some are highly controversial such as holding therapy which
consist of obligating the disordered child to hugged or force them to receive tokens of affection
against their will. Re–parenting can also be somewhat controversial when parents of children have
been extremely abusive and children are no longer in their care (Day, 2001; Chaffin et al., 2006). A
treatment that has been effective across various cultures is theraplay; ... Show more content on
Helpwriting.net ...
Assessments should include information about patterns of behavior over time, and assessors should
be aware that current behaviors may just the likeness of modifications to new or stressful situations.
The cultural background of families should be discussed before entering therapy as interactions
between cultures can differ significantly from one another; what may seem absurd, rough, or
acceptable play in some cultures it may not be for another. Therefore, the therapist must take advice
of what is and is not accepted by the people it serves. In adoption cases, both the culture of the child
and the adoptive parents must be consider separately (Chaffin, 2006). However, the child's cultural
background will be a determining factor in how sessions are carried out (Munns, 2011).
Assessments should include specific examples of the behaviors of the child through across different
circumstances and contexts; and not be limited to behaviors and relationships of children with their
parents or caregivers. These should include relationships and interactions with teachers or daycare
providers, siblings and other relatives, and classmates of the child. The diagnosis of RAD should not
merely be based on the relationship of parent and child. The assessment of RAD should not be based
on parents or caregivers on provided descriptions to a therapist or psychologist; but should also be
centered on observations conducted by these professional. RAD should be only diagnosed by a

My act of courage is when I found out that i had Reactive Attachment Disorder. You can get this
from being abused when you were a little kid or a baby. Well in my case I was abused by my mom
for two years. She abused me since the day I came home from the hospital till the I was almost three
years old and got put into foster care so I got away from the person who was abusing me for a
couple of month's. I just found out on January tenth, 2017 at a meeting that I had to go to that I had
Reactive Attachment Disorder. You can also get this from being separated from your parents for a
while and I was whenever I was put into foster care I was separated from my real mom for the rest
of my life and my sister's and brother's dad died when I was

Argumentative Essay On Adoption
400,000; That is the unbearably large number of how many chor a permanent home in the United
States alone. Roughly 29% of these kids will spend a ildren don't have parents minimum of 3 years
in foster care; hopping from one home to the next. Yearly, only about 135,000 kids are adopted in
the U.S. With numbers being so low in adoption rates, and many couples hoping to find a beautiful
child to make legally theirs, we ask ourselves, how is this possible? It takes months to years for an
adoption process to be fulfilled completely. Adoption should be a cheaper, easier and quicker
process to complete because those children need a home to reside in.
Through adoption, you're taking a child in as your own. As a parent, you may be completing ...
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A social worker will follow your every move, marking up and down your parenting skills. Along
with the adoptive parents, any person who lives under the same roof will also be questioned and
inspected. All of your records will be collected – financial, medical, and criminal background
checks will be made. Some agencies may even require you to meet the birthmother months prior the
process is completed, as she may have a say if she would like you to adopt her child.
To this day, the Bible is the most printed and read book worldwide. In James 1:27, it states "Religion
that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their
distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world." When a child doesn't have a
permanent home, it messes with their mind and mental stability. Packed orphanages and not having
a set home in place is a bad environment for emotional and social health.The more time children
spend in orphanages, the worse their mental health becomes; Anxiety and depression accumulate.
The children also develop reactive attachment disorder, a diagnosable attachment. When they grow
older, the children are unable to develop normal loving relationships with others. Babies aren't cared
for with love, and the child doesn't choose to live there. You need to get those children out of their as
quickly as possible. If the children stay in the foster care system or an adoption

An Overview Of Reactive Attachment Disorder
An Extensive Overview of Reactive Attachment Disorder Reactive attachment disorder, also known
as RAD, is characteristic of children who have developmentally inappropriate attachment behaviors.
As mentioned in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 5th Edition (2013),
"The essential feature (of reactive attachment disorder) is absent or grossly underdeveloped
attachment between the child and putative caregiving adults" (p. 266). This underdeveloped
attachment is in response to a child being neglected or deprived of emotional and social comfort
(American Psychiatric Association, 2013). In the following section, the diagnostic criteria for
reactive attachment disorder will be discussed.
Reactive Attachment Disorder ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
A history of neglect must also be present, which may include any of the following: lack of basic
emotional needs for comfort, stimulation and affection on behalf of the caregiver(s), repeated
changes of primary caregivers, and/or rearing in unusual settings. An extremely important factor
when diagnosing RAD is that all disruptions explained in diagnostic criteria A and B must be a
result of this pattern of neglect and deprivation of comfort and care. Additional diagnostic criteria
include that the disturbances in the child/caregiver relationship much be noticeable before 5 years of
age, the child must be a developmental age of at least 9 months, and the criteria for autism spectrum
disorder are not met. It is important that the clinician specify whether the disorder is persistent,
lasting more than 12 months, and whether it is severe, which is when the child exhibits all the
symptoms of the disorder and the symptoms are displayed at relatively high levels (American
Psychiatric Association, 2013). Understanding the etiology and the basics of attachment theory are
essential to understanding the disruptive relationships seen in reactive attachment disorder.
The Etiology of Reactive Attachment Disorder Attachment theory was developed by John Bowlby
in the 1960s and suggests that infants are primed to form a close, dependant bond with a primary
caregiver beginning in the first moments of life. Hardy (2007) writes,

Reactive Attachment Disorder: Literature Review
The course of reactive attachment disorder is not well studied, but through reviewing literature, it is
evident that a larger amount of individuals diagnosed with reactive attachment disorder are children
who have experienced serious forms of neglect or abuse, or have been brought up in institutional
settings, and consequently exhibit signs of reactive attachment disorder (Boris & Zeanah, 2005).
The prevalence of reactive attachment disorder that has been studied in the general population was
found to be prevailing in 1.4%. Being that this is a relatively higher number found within the
general population, it is crucial to understand the additional needs of these children (Pritchett,
Pritchett, Marshall, Davidson, & Minnis, 2013).
Common ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
As mentioned, developmental delays can occur in individuals that are diagnosed with reactive
attachment disorder, but this should not be the only factor. Children who have an intellectual
disability exhibit emotional and social abilities similar to their cognitive skills, and contrasting from
children with reactive attachment disorder who exhibit a significant decrease in positive affect and
their ability to regulate their emotions. An additional difference between the two diagnoses is that
children with developmental delays who have reached a cognitive age of seven to nine months
should be establishing selective attachments with caregivers in their life regardless of their
chronological age, whereas children with reactive attachment disorder who have a cognitive age of
at least nine months show a deficit in attaining those relationships (APA,

Positive Benefits Of The Foster Care System

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