Disorganized attachment in infancy: a review of the phenomenon and its implications for clinicians and policy-makers.

Granqvist P, Sroufe LA, Dozier M, Hesse E, Steele M, Van Ijzendoorn 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 MJ, 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 CH, Lyons-Ruth K, Main M, Duschinsky R (2017)

Publication Language: English

Publication Status: Published

Publication Type: Journal article, Original article

Publication year: 2017

Journal

Book Volume: 19

Pages Range: 534-558

Journal Issue: 6

DOI: 10.1080/14616734.2017.1354040

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.

Authors with CRIS profile

Involved external institutions

Stockholm University / Stockholms universitet Sweden (SE) University of Minnesota (UMN) United States (USA) (US) University of Delaware (UDEL) United States (USA) (US) University of California, Berkeley United States (USA) (US) The New School United States (USA) (US) Erasmus University Rotterdam (EUR) / Erasmus Universiteit Rotterdam Netherlands (NL) University of Cambridge United Kingdom (GB) Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam (VU) / University Amsterdam Netherlands (NL) University College London (UCL) United Kingdom (GB) Leiden University Netherlands (NL) University of Maryland United States (USA) (US) University of Calgary Canada (CA) University of Texas at Austin United States (USA) (US) Northumbria University United Kingdom (GB) SUNY Polytechnic Institute United States (USA) (US) Singapore Institute for Clinical Sciences (SICS) Singapore (SG) Cornell University United States (USA) (US) Saint Mary's College of California United States (USA) (US) University of Washington United States (USA) (US) Trafford Council United Kingdom (GB) Minnesota Institute for Contemporary Psychotherapy and Psychoanalysis United States (USA) (US) Western University Canada (CA) Arizona State University (ASU) United States (USA) (US) University of California Los Angeles (UCLA) United States (USA) (US) Università degli studi "La Sapienza" Italy (IT) State University of New York at Albany (UNY Albany / UAlbany) United States (USA) (US) University of Rochester (UR) United States (USA) (US) Tulane University United States (USA) (US) Harvard University United States (USA) (US)

How to cite

APA:

Granqvist, P., Sroufe, L.A., Dozier, M., Hesse, E., Steele, M., Van Ijzendoorn, M.,... Duschinsky, R. (2017). Disorganized attachment in infancy: a review of the phenomenon and its implications for clinicians and policy-makers. Attachment and Human Development, 19(6), 534-558. https://dx.doi.org/10.1080/14616734.2017.1354040

MLA:

Granqvist, Pehr, et al. "Disorganized attachment in infancy: a review of the phenomenon and its implications for clinicians and policy-makers." Attachment and Human Development 19.6 (2017): 534-558.

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