Attachment Disturbances and Attachment Representations in At-Risk Adopted Children

• Main Author: Razuri, Erin E.
• Other Authors: David R Cross
• Format: Others
• Language: en
• Published: Texas Christian University 2007
• Subjects: College of Science and Engineering
• Online Access: http://etd.tcu.edu/etdfiles/available/etd-01122007-113347/

Although children adopted after deprivation or maltreatment are thought to be at-risk for attachment-related problems, little is known about the attachment representations thought to underlie attachment behavior. Further, methods of assessing attachment representations and attachment disturbances are needed. The current study examined the use of Family Drawings and the Beech Brook Attachment Disorder Checklist (BBADC) as assessments of attachment representations and attachment disordered behavior, respectively, in a sample of adopted children at-risk for behavior disturbances. The BBADC was correlated with the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL), but contrary to expectations, Family Drawings were not related to scores on either the BBADC or CBCL. Scores on the BBADC improved after participation in a therapeutic camp. In addition, children who had higher Machiavellianism scores and those who used more color on their Family Drawings before camp had greater improvements in all BBADC factors after camp. Methodological and theoretical implications are discussed.