Secure Attachment Essay

The following is a case study for Anamalia, Kokomalu and Eloni, a family that has been torn apart due to the aggressive nature of Eloni, who has physically abused his younger brother, has been suspended from school temporarily for attempting to stab a fellow classmate and is showing signs of substance abuse. Eloni has been placed in foster care and the family has been referred to counseling. During Eloni’s counseling sessions it was discovered that he was abused by his previous step-father and is showing signs of PTSD.

Attachment Disorder (AD) is found in the DSM-5 under Trauma and Stressor-Related Disorders, which is the first time that there has been an inclusion of a category that acknowledges the impacts of life events related to trauma and stressors (Pynoos and Zeanah, 2013). The DSM-5 (2013) breaks down AD into two disorders RAD which is described as, an "internalizing disorder with depressive symptoms and withdrawn behaviour" and DSED characterized by "disinhibition an externalizing behaviour." The DSM-5 define these disorders as the result of social neglect, repeated changes in caregivers or rearing in unusual settings such as an institution where the child may have limited access to a caregiver. For a child to be diagnosed with either RAD or DSED, the child must be older than nine months, and the case of RAD, symptoms are evident before the child is five-years-old with the symptoms being present for more than 12 months. The DSM-5 states that to perform an assessment, it is imperative to view interactions with the caregivers as well as utilize the caregiver's knowledge about the child's behaviours. Scott, Strasser and Zeaneh (2015) report that of the children exposed to severe maltreatment less than 10% will match the criteria for RAD and although there is less data for DSED the current information is that less then 20% of children would meet the criteria for DSED. There is a lack of reliable evidence to support that an attachment disorder is genetic.

When trauma is experienced from the care giver, the child has no one to go to for safety and, as a result, does not develop adaptive coping strategies (Badenoch, 2008). This can have detrimental effects on emotional regulation and interpersonal abilities (Charuvastra & Cloitre, 2008). Since Ann’s primary abuser was her mother, and the abuse was so severe, Ann would have formed a disorganized attachment with her mother as a child. Given the severity and long term nature of the abuse, this undoubtedly contributed her pathological symptoms later in

This community of individuals face a disproportionately high prevalence of both trauma and PTSD. One study states that prior to being homeless or running away “approximately 75% of homeless youth report being emotionally, physically, or sexually abused by their families and note these issues are key reasons for running away” (Bender, Ferguson, Thompson, Komlo, & Pollio, 2010). This study states that after being homeless “85% of homeless youth report exposure to at least one form of victimization… which often compound previous trauma symptoms developed before leaving home” (Bender et.al., 2010). This previous abuse leaves the adolescents vulnerable and open to further victimization which can intensify traumatic experience. The adolescents that then fail to remove themselves from these toxic situations, or don’t seek treatment, are at an extremely high-risk for then developing PTSD (Bender et.al., 2010). Trauma is extremely common among homeless youth, but there are certain factors that can intensify and increase the chance of developing

The insecure avoidant attachment style children tend to be very independent, both physically and emotionally. Unlike children in secure attachment relationships, they do not use their caregivers as a safe base to explore the environment. (Behrens, Hesse, & Main, 2007). Insecure avoidant children are more likely to have caregivers who reject their needs and are insensitive towards the children. The children also do not seek their attachment figure with distressed. (Ainsworth, 1979). The attachment figure may avoid the child in times of emotional distress and helping undertake difficult tasks. (Stevenson-Hinde, & Verschueren, 2002). The attachment figure may also be unresponsive to their child’s signals and are more likely to interact irritably and angrily unlike the secure attachment figure. (Cassidy and Berlin 1994). In the reunion of the attachment figure and child, the child may turn away and continue to play and ignore the attachment figure completely. In the efforts of the caregiver trying to interact with the child while playing, the child will ignore the caregiver and move away. (Ainsworth et al.,

Some children that have been grossly mistreated, neglected or abused fail to create secure attachments.

Every year millions of children suffer from child abuse and maltreatment. Data from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Child Maltreatment 2013 (2015) report shows that in 2013, there were approximately 3.9 million reports of child abuse made in the United States. Of those reported, 678,932 were deemed victims of child abuse and neglect (child maltreatment 2015). Of the four common types of abuse, i.e., physical abuse, emotional abuse, sexual abuse and neglect, “the greatest percentages of children suffered from neglect (79.5%) and physical abuse (18.0%).” (Child Maltreatment, 2015). The data also shows that, the youngest children are the most vulnerable to maltreatment, 27.3% of

Children in foster care have been legally removed from their birth families and placed under the care and control of state-run child welfare agencies. Every year, almost 30,000 kids age out of the foster care system after childhoods when many moves from house to house and school to school (NPR). For most foster kids, as soon as they turn 18, they're cut off from a place to live and financial support. They're suddenly on their own, suddenly responsible to find housing, money, clothing, and food; while trying to continue their education, and in most cases, they give up pursuing the latter path. While other kids their age are still getting help from a parent or guardian. As a result, these adolescents experience psychological trauma, financial instability, which both combined to yield a vicious cycle of foster care.

income set by the Veterans Affairs. Veterans who are no longer serving and meet other additional qualifications will be placed within priority group six, seven, or eight (Military.com, 2015).

Children and adolescents in foster care represent a highly traumatized population and are at an elevated risk of developing Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). These youths experience a wide range of trauma ranging from familial separation, physical/emotional/sexual abuse, neglect, bereavement, and domestic/community violence. As of September 30, 2014, there were approximately 415,129 children placed in foster care (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 2015). The number of children entering the foster care system has dramatically increased in recent decades, and research suggests the surge is due to the rising number of neglect cases associated with parental drug/alcohol abuse, poverty, homelessness, AIDS, and domestic violence

Children are the one who will shape our country's future, but how can they make a good future if they are not taken care of correctly? The influence of a parent on their child is extremely important, and a child’s development can move quickly, especially when they are young. Sometimes children are born into a bad home, and this can lead to setbacks and delays in a child’s growth. In addition, the government can sometimes get involved and remove children from these bad situations, but a lot of people don’t think that it is right. Some people think that the government is just making the child’s life worse, but this isn’t the case. Foster care is important and can benefit children mentally, emotionally, and physically.

Demographics and context: Daneka was a 15 year old girl. She was a loving, energetic girl who had lots of friends, was a straight-A student and enjoyed dancing. She was raised in a middle-class family who always wanted what was best for Daneka. Yet, her mom and dad worked a lot and, therefore, weren’t able to drive Daneka to school every day or spend much time with her because they were always busy with work obligations. However, this wasn’t a problem considering she lived only a few blocks from the school and could walk every day. This never raised any issues since they lived in, what seemed to be, a safe neighborhood and an overall safe community where crime rates were low. Also, Daneka seemed to be a popular, well-known girl that everyone

This healthy and supportive social network evolves family, peers, community, schools, policy makers, cultures, media, and social media, etc. All of these positive elements create a safe, loving, and caring social environment and human relationships to heal children’s earlier trauma. Share and Care program that Kohli (2016) mention above is one of many mental support resources for students who seeking help. I believe that resources involving great courage, humanity, and hope are assisting children to thrive in the

According to a Child Protective Investigation, there are approximately half a million children in the U.S. foster care system, otherwise known as congregate care (group homes and institutions). Children are placed in congregate care when they are found to be in an unsafe environment. Usually children of abuse or maltreatment are placed first (Font, 2015). Out-of-home-care causes increased problems of attachment, behavioral, and psychological disorders in the developing child.

We live in a complex, unpredictable world, filled with an array of family styles and personalities. Whether or not we recognize it, the family in which one is raised or currently resides plays a pivotal role in their development and opportunities. While we should not blame our circumstance on where we came from, it is crucial that we understand how our childhood influences why we are the way we are. One phenomenon that affects several families, particularly ones with low-income, is parentification. Parentification, also known as the role-reversal of a parent and a child, is not inherently harmful for a child, but it is important to look at the situation objectively and consider the risk-factors.