Attachment Theory in the Assessment and Promotion of Parental Competency in Child Protection Cases

Exploring dominant child protection discourses: new possibilities for practice

10.32920/ryerson.14664774.v1 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Nimo Samater

Keyword(s):

Child Welfare ◽

Reflective Practice ◽

Attachment Theory ◽

Child Protection ◽

Research Study ◽

Qualitative Interviews ◽

Child Welfare System ◽

Welfare System ◽

Child Protection Workers ◽

Emerging Themes

This research study focuses on attachment theory as a dominant discourse in child protection and the experiences of child protection workers. The literature on attachment theory and its influence on Eurocentric/Western knowledge is reviewed. As well, the use of reflective practice in child protection practice is discussed. This study includes qualitative interviews with three child protection workers in Southern Ontario who discuss their practice. Four emerging themes were derived from the narratives of the participants: recognition of attachment theory as being the pinnacle of child protection practice, use of observation as a tool to assess attachment, use of reflective practice and lastly, the stigma of Children’s Aid Society and impacts on practice. The findings in this study suggest how practice is led by policies and standards of the child welfare system and is rarely challenged. The need for the child welfare system to validate parent/child beliefs, values and practices from various ethnicities is discussed.

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Using Q methodology to understand how child protection social workers use attachment theory

Child & Family Social Work ◽

10.1111/cfs.12276 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 22 ◽

pp. 70-80 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

David Wilkins

Keyword(s):

Social Workers ◽

Attachment Theory ◽

Child Protection ◽

Q Methodology

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The Clock Starts Now: Feminism, Mothering and Attachment Theory in Child Protection Practice

Gender and Child Welfare in Society ◽

10.1002/9780470684771.ch6 ◽

2010 ◽

pp. 149-172 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Julia Krane ◽

Linda Davies ◽

Rosemary Carlton ◽

Meghan Mulcahy

Keyword(s):

Attachment Theory ◽

Child Protection

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In the Best Interest of the Child: the Norwegian Approach to Child Protection

International Journal on Child Maltreatment Research Policy and Practice ◽

10.1007/s42448-021-00078-6 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Annika Melinder ◽

Malin Albrechtsen van der Hagen ◽

Kirsten Sandberg

Keyword(s):

Human Rights ◽

Attachment Theory ◽

Child Protection ◽

Recent Criticism ◽

Best Interest ◽

Legal Subject ◽

Rights Of The Child ◽

European Court ◽

Vulnerable Families ◽

Protective System

AbstractIn the present paper, we discuss three challenges with the Norwegian Child Protective System (CPS) that might have contributed to the recent criticism from the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR). First, how to balance the rights of the child with those of the parents. Second, the psychological field’s influence on the interpretation of what constitutes the best interest of the child, and third we describe several missing links in the CPS work. Throughout the paper, we find indications of a well-developed Act, but a less optional CPS practice. Likewise, we find evidence for a narrow interpretation of the best interest of the child related to CPS and expert psychologists’ application of attachment theory, and several organizational and educational shortcomings in the area of CPS. We conclude that the child is not fully seen as a legal subject in the eyes of the ECtHR, and that more research into CPS measures and organization are needed to better deliver adequate assistance to vulnerable families.

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Exploring dominant child protection discourses: new possibilities for practice

10.32920/ryerson.14664774 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Nimo Samater

Keyword(s):

Child Welfare ◽

Reflective Practice ◽

Attachment Theory ◽

Child Protection ◽

Research Study ◽

Qualitative Interviews ◽

Child Welfare System ◽

Welfare System ◽

Child Protection Workers ◽

Emerging Themes

This research study focuses on attachment theory as a dominant discourse in child protection and the experiences of child protection workers. The literature on attachment theory and its influence on Eurocentric/Western knowledge is reviewed. As well, the use of reflective practice in child protection practice is discussed. This study includes qualitative interviews with three child protection workers in Southern Ontario who discuss their practice. Four emerging themes were derived from the narratives of the participants: recognition of attachment theory as being the pinnacle of child protection practice, use of observation as a tool to assess attachment, use of reflective practice and lastly, the stigma of Children’s Aid Society and impacts on practice. The findings in this study suggest how practice is led by policies and standards of the child welfare system and is rarely challenged. The need for the child welfare system to validate parent/child beliefs, values and practices from various ethnicities is discussed.

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Effects of Attachment Styles on the Experience of Equity in Heterosexual Couples Relationships

Experimental Psychology (formerly Zeitschrift für Experimentelle Psychologie) ◽

10.1026//1618-3169.50.4.298 ◽

2003 ◽

Vol 50 (4) ◽

pp. 298-310 ◽

Cited By ~ 14

Author(s):

Ina Grau ◽

Jörg Doll

Keyword(s):

Attachment Theory ◽

Attachment Style ◽

Intimate Relationships ◽

Attachment Styles ◽

Experimental Studies ◽

The Other ◽

Heterosexual Couples ◽

Secure Attachment ◽

Dependent Variables ◽

Equity Ratio

Abstract. Employing one correlational and two experimental studies, this paper examines the influence of attachment styles (secure, anxious, avoidant) on a person’s experience of equity in intimate relationships. While one experimental study employed a priming technique to stimulate the different attachment styles, the other involved vignettes describing fictitious characters with typical attachment styles. As the specific hypotheses about the single equity components have been developed on the basis of the attachment theory, the equity ratio itself and the four equity components (own outcome, own input, partner’s outcome, partner’s input) are analyzed as dependent variables. While partners with a secure attachment style tend to describe their relationship as equitable (i.e., they give and take extensively), partners who feel anxious about their relationship generally see themselves as being in an inequitable, disadvantaged position (i.e., they receive little from their partner). The hypothesis that avoidant partners would feel advantaged as they were less committed was only supported by the correlational study. Against expectations, the results of both experiments indicate that avoidant partners generally see themselves (or see avoidant vignettes) as being treated equitably, but that there is less emotional exchange than is the case with secure partners. Avoidant partners give and take less than secure ones.

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Incarcerated Adolescents' Distress and Suicidality in Relation to Parental Bonding Styles

Crisis ◽

10.1027//0227-5910.20.4.164 ◽

1999 ◽

Vol 20 (4) ◽

pp. 164-170 ◽

Cited By ~ 12

Author(s):

Elizabeth L McGarvey ◽

Ludmila A Kryzhanovskaya ◽

Cheryl Koopman ◽

Dennis Waite ◽

Randolph J Canterbury

Keyword(s):

At Risk ◽

Attachment Theory ◽

Suicidal Behavior ◽

Parental Bonding ◽

Psychosocial Problems ◽

Self Esteem ◽

Suicidal Thoughts ◽

Parental Bonding Instrument ◽

Significant Relationships ◽

Incarcerated Adolescents

This study examines the relationships between the bonding style of an incarcerated adolescent with parents and his/her current feelings of self-esteem, hopelessness, and suicidal thoughts and attempts. It also investigates differences between bonding to mother and bonding to father. Some 296 incarcerated adolescents were interviewed using the Parental Bonding Instrument. Significant relationships were found between youths' self-esteem, hopelessness, and suicidal behavior and their bonding style. Youths whose parent(s) had a parental bonding style of affectionless control reported the greatest distress, and youths whose parent(s) had an optimal bonding style reported the least distress. Differences were found between bonding styles with the mother and with the father. Attachment theory may be useful in targeting incarcerated youths who have affectionless control bonding with parent(s) for special interventions since these youths are most at risk for psychosocial problems.

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