Emotionally Focused Couple Therapy (EFT; Johnson, 2004) addresses relationship distress by facilitating the development of new patterns of interaction between partners. These new patterns of interaction are based on partners' vulnerable acknowledgement and expression of attachment needs. Partners' engagement in these new patterns of interaction is thought to improve their relationship-specific attachment bond. Although previous studies have shown EFT to result in excellent relationship satisfaction outcomes (Johnson, Hunsley, Greenberg & Schindler, 1999), research had yet clearly to demonstrate if and how EFT facilitates increases in partners' relationship-specific models attachment security over the course of therapy. To address this research gap, the current study employed Hierarchical Linear Modelling (HLM; Singer & Willet, 2003) to investigate the pattern of change in couples' (n=32) self-reported relationship satisfaction and relationship-specific attachment over the course of EFT. Couples reported significant linear increases in their relationship satisfaction and significant linear decreases in their relationship-specific attachment avoidance over the course of therapy. Couples who completed the blamer-softening therapeutic change event (n=16) demonstrated significant linear decreases in their relationship-specific attachment anxiety after completing this event. Decreases in relationship-specific attachment anxiety predicted increases in couples' relationship satisfaction over the course of therapy. Couples also demonstrated significant increases in the security of their pre-post-therapy relationship-specific attachment behaviour, as coded Secure Base Scoring System (Crowell, Treboux, Gao, Fyffe, Pan & Waters, 2002). The current study also used HLM (Singer & Willet, 2003) to examine how the completion of blamer-softening impacted softened couples' relationship-specific attachment anxiety, and whether the completion of blamer-softening had a similar impact on softened couples' relationship-specific attachment avoidance and relationship satisfaction. Softened couples reported an immediate increase in relationship satisfaction and immediate decrease relationship-specific attachment avoidance at the softening session. Further, softened couples' post-softening decreases in relationship-specific attachment anxiety were initially preceded by an increase at the softening session. These results provided an understanding of how EFT leads to increases in couples' relationship-specific attachment security. These results provide support for the use of attachment theory in the treatment of relationship distress, and also provide an illustration of how attachment can shift over the course of a therapeutic intervention.

Emotionally Focused Couple Therapy (EFT; Johnson, 2004) is an empirically validated approach to couple therapy that uses attachment theory to understand the needs and emotions of romantic partners. In EFT, relationship distress is conceptualized as resulting from negative affect, emotional disconnection, and unmet attachment needs. Although EFT is recognized as one of the most researched and effective approaches to couple therapy, little research has examined theoretically related characteristics of couples to changes in marital satisfaction throughout EFT. The present doctoral thesis examined this area of literature. Thirty-two couples were provided approximately 21 sessions of EFT. The goal of the first study was to identify intake characteristics related to change in marital satisfaction over the course of EFT. Couples completed self-report measures of marital satisfaction, attachment security, relationship trust, and emotional control at pre- and post-therapy and after each therapy session. Individuals higher on self-report attachment anxiety and higher levels of emotional control had greater change in marital satisfaction over the course of EFT. The goal of the second study was to examine intake levels of attachment security and its relationship to the occurrence of the blamer-softening event, a key change event in EFT, and changes in marital satisfaction. Results indicated that the occurrence of a blamer-softening event significantly predicted positive changes in marital satisfaction. Results also suggested that the occurrence of a softening event significantly moderated the relationship between attachment avoidance at intake and change in marital satisfaction from pre- to post-therapy. For couples who completed a blamer-softening event, partners with lower levels of attachment avoidance were more likely to have positive changes in marital satisfaction. However, this relationship was not evident for attachment anxiety. Overall, results from this thesis suggest that attachment security is a key characteristic of couple partners for therapists to consider when implementing EFT. Therapists may benefit from assessing attachment security at the start of therapy to help inform them of the emotion regulating strategies used by couple partners. This information may help therapists to tailor specific interventions such that couples may begin to develop more secure attachment bonds.

<b>Introduction:</b> Identifying aspects of parenting that are protective for child emotional and behavioural outcomes is important for informing parenting intervention. Attachment theory and social learning theory represent two major theories that propose different mechanisms for how parenting influences child functioning. The aim of this study was to compare dimensions of early positive parenting associated with these two theoretical frameworks as predictors of child conduct and emotional problems. <b>Method:</b> Data were from a US based longitudinal study (the Early Steps study, Dishion et al., 2008) following a sample of 731 toddlers from age 2 to 7.5, from low income families and at high risk of early onset of child problem behaviours. Associations between observed parenting (age 2-3 and age 5) and parent reported child externalising and internalising behaviour (age 3, 4, 5 and 7.5) were examined in structural equation models. <b>Results:</b> Parenting related to attachment theory ('warmth') had little short-term association with child outcomes, but over time this parenting dimension increasingly predicted lower levels of child problems. Parenting associated with social learning theory ('effective management') was related to lower child conduct and emotional problems short-term, but in the long-term it had no predictive effect on child functioning. <b>Discussion:</b> Differences between parenting dimensions in terms of their respective short-term and long-term effects might be explained by the underlying mechanisms linking parenting and child outcomes. Attachment theory emphasises internal and emotional processes, and these may be slow building but more enduring. Social learning theory proposes that behaviours are driven largely by external motivations and inspirations, and these might be relatively instantaneous but short-lived. <b>Conclusion:</b> Results of this study indicate that early childhood parenting associated with attachment theory is an important protective factor for children's longitudinal outcomes. For enhancing longer term, more enduring outcomes, it is likely that parent intervention and prevention programmes in early childhood should emphasise programme components drawing on attachment theory. However, it would be necessary to test this before making any firm recommendations.

Background: Considering recent advances in the field of early detection and intervention in young people with increased levels of psychotic symptoms seeking help, this thesis proposes that early attachment insecurity triggers an inability to regulate emotional distress, to engage in positive interpersonal interactions with others, to use adaptive coping mechanisms and to manage social support appropriately. These constructs appear to be linked to psychosis; however, considering continuity between subthreshold psychotic symptoms and the later development of psychosis, it is vital to understand if these underlying affective and interpersonal mechanisms increase the risk of psychosis in help-seeking young people. Objectives: This study was cross-sectional and investigated the following research questions: 1) Does attachment insecurity signpost the risk of developing psychosis? 2) Do coping strategies, interpersonal difficulties, social support and emotional distress have an indirect effect on the relationship between attachment insecurity and the risk of developing psychosis? Methods: A total of 76 help-seeking young people were recruited from Community Mental Health Services in Edinburgh. All participants completed a number of questionnaires exploring their coping strategies, interpersonal problems, perceived social support and emotional distress. A semi-structured interview was undertaken, to assess their socio-demographic background. The Comprehensive Assessment of At-Risk Mental States was administered and coded to assess their risk of psychosis and associated psychopathology, while path analysis was used to analyse the data and to address the research questions. Results: The profile of help-seeking young people in this sample (n=76) was made up of individuals with a moderate degree of difficulties in relation to coping strategies employed to manage stress and interpersonal problems dealing with others, moderate levels of emotional distress and discrepancies between their ideal and received social support. From the total help-seeking sample, the attachment dimensions anxiety and avoidance were relatively high. These young people were found to have had mild, psychotic-like experiences, especially in the domains associated with unusual thought content and perceptual abnormalities. When considering the subgroup of help-seeking young people with an at-risk mental state (ARMS) (n=46), the results revealed that this group had high levels of difficulties in interpersonal relationships, relied on non-productive coping strategies, presented emotional distress levels of clinical importance and also had discrepancies in their ideal and received social support. From the subsample of help-seeking young people with an ARMS the attachment dimensions anxiety and avoidance were reasonably high. These young people were found to have had moderately severe psychotic experiences, especially in the domains associated with unusual thought content and perceptual abnormalities. Path analysis revealed that attachment insecurity directly predicted psychotic symptoms in the total sample but not in the subgroup of young people with an ARMS. Emotional distress played a partially moderating role between attachment insecurity and the severity and distress associated with disorganised speech and perceptual abnormalities in the total sample but not when considering only those with an ARMS, while interpersonal problems did not mediate the relationship between attachment insecurity and the risk of psychosis in either group. Discrepancies between ideal and received social support fully mediated the relationship between attachment insecurity and the distress associated with disorganised speech in the total sample but not when considering those with an ARMS. The tendency to use less adaptive coping strategies was found to mediate directly the relationship between attachment anxiety and the distress associated with perceptual abnormalities in young people with an ARMS, albeit not in the total sample. Discussion: The clinical and theoretical implications of these results are discussed within the clinical staging model for intervention in psychosis. The findings strongly indicate that clinicians should take into consideration the mechanisms of attachment, coping strategies and social support, as well as the deleterious effects of associated emotional distress, when working with young people with increased levels of psychotic symptoms.

Esta dissertação é um estudo sobre institucionalização e adoção de crianças. Encontra-se dividida em quatro capítulos. No primeiro deles, o autor expõe as causas e tipos de institucionalização, o processo legal da adoção e seus entraves. O segundo e o terceiro capítulos constituem o núcleo desta pesquisa; no segundo é enfocada a teoria da vinculação mãe-filho, a possibilidade de substituição desse vínculo natural, e os efeitos da não vinculação da criança a uma figura específica. Ali, nossa referência principal será o psiquiatra e psicanalista John Bowlby. No terceiro capítulo encontramos, através da pena paulina, em especial de sua Epístola a Filemom, o alicerce teológico para a prática da adoção e do protesto em favor das crianças institucionalizadas. No quarto e último capítulo são analisadas algumas histórias de adoção, cujos efeitos são contrapostos aos danos psíquicos da institucionalização. / This dissertation is a study of institutionalization and adoption of children. It is divided into four chapters. In the first, the author exposes the causes and types of institutionalization, the legal process of adoption and its obstacles. The second and third chapters constitute the core of this research; the second is focused on the theory of the mother-child bond, the possibility of replacing the natural bond, and the effects of not bonding the child to a specific figure. There, our main reference is the psychiatrist and psychoanalyst John Bowlby. In the third chapter we find, through the Pauline pen, specially through his Epistle to Philemon, the theological foundation for the practice of adoption and protest in favor of institutionalized children. In the fourth and final chapter we analyze some stories of adoption, the effects of which counterpose the psychic damage of institutionalization.

The broad issue of cooping with stress and pressure as well as the attachment theory and its connection with social and emotional development of children of the certain age is found it the theoretical part of our work. Behaviour disturbances and their impact of further social and emocional development of the child are described too. Connection between these disturbances, the attachment theory and acquiering of cooping strategie is also explained. The Children{\crq}s diagnostic institution is shortly described. In the practical part of our work we can learnt about the research that has been done with the children from the Diagnostic Institut. This research brings more clarification of validity of BISK metod in conditions of the Czech Republic. The resutls of the research discover possible relations between the attachment dynamic of the child{\crq}s family and the aspects of emotional attachment of the child with his parents as well as cooping starategies resulting from them. The results of the research acknowledge truth that the children coming from unfuncional families use rather avoiding strategies of behavior if facing stress. We clarify that the children are under influence of their family environment {--} nonsupporting parents thier behaviour. Our work can bring contributions for furhter scientific research and also for work in the field of prevention and therapy.

While several studies have analyzed the impact of mother-child attachment security on the child’s emotion regulation abilities, few studies have proposed interventions to help children improve emotion regulation abilities in the presence of an insecure mother-child attachment. This current study extends previous findings about the influence of mother-child attachment on the child’s emotion regulation abilities and contributes new research in determining whether an older sibling can moderate this effect. This study predicts that across points of assessments: 18 months, 5 years, 10 years, and 15 years, the quality of mother-child attachment security will influence the child’s performance on an emotion regulation task, such that securely attached children will demonstrate the most persistence and least distress, children with Anxious-Avoidant attachment will demonstrate the least persistence, and children with Anxious-Ambivalent will demonstrate the most distress. If, at any point, the child develops an insecure relationship with the mother and a secure relationship with the older sibling, the child’s persistence is expected to increase and the child’s distress is expected to decrease. In this way, the older sibling will serve as a surrogate attachment figure. These research findings have important implications for parenting behaviors as well as clinical practices.

No description available.

Kandidatuppsatsen består av en kvalitativ forskningsstudie med innehållsanalys som metod. Syftet är att genomföra en jämförande studie över hur vuxna som tidigare varit familjehemsplacerade som barn ser tillbaka på sin tid som placerad. Variabeln som eftersöks  att undersöka är om det finns skillnad i uttryck om sin placering hos de som hade kontinuitet i sin placering i jämförelse med de som haft ett sammanbrott i sin placering vid minst ett tillfälle. Intervjuerna genomfördes med hjälp av en semistrukturerad metod, vilket innebär att att intervjuerna utgår flexibelt från en färdigställd mall, detta innebär att respondenten har friheten att utrycka sig fritt samtidigt som att intervjun får en viss inriktning för att underlätta analysen av materialet. Det insamlade materialet från intervjuerna bearbetades sedan genom transkribering, kodning och kategorisering. För att kunna behandla det bearbetade materialet konstruerades en forskningsöversikt för att kunna begripliga det insamlade materialet. Det framtagna resultatet antyder att personer som har haft sammanbrott i placering upplever större svårigheter att skapa kontaktnät, svårare skolgång samt belyser ett mer utåtagerande beteende. Vidare visar  även studien på att ålder vid placering är en viktig faktor för den placerades upplevelse av inkludering i familjehemmet.

There has been an abundance of studies that have adopted positivist approaches, employing quantitative methods, to research OCD 'symptoms' and their underlying neurobiology and neurochemistry. There appears to be a lack of research investigating how OCD is experienced by those living with the diagnosis, and in particular the experiences of young people diagnosed with OCD. Ten young people, aged 14-17 years old, with a diagnosis of OCD were recruited from Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS). The young people were interviewed and a Thematic Analysis (TA) was used to analyse data. Four themes were developed through the analysis. The first theme 'Traumatic and stressful life events' found that 9 out of the 10 participants experienced at least one of the following three life events just prior to the development of their OCD: 'Hostility in the family', 'Illness and death', 'Bullying and friendlessness'. Four subthemes, 'Lack of understanding of the behaviour', 'Being secretive', 'I thought I was going crazy', and 'Feeling different', provided a richer understanding to the theme 'Responses to signs of OCD'. The four subthemes 'Feeling "right"', 'I was taking on all the responsibility', 'It's ruined everything', 'Everyday life is now in my bedroom' explored the third theme 'The battle of living with OCD'. The last theme 'Ambivalent relationship to help' described the conflict that most participants had over exposure therapy and accommodation of their OCD. Lastly, most participants felt the long waiting time for help was frustrating. The theme is fully explored by the following three subthemes: 'Conflicts of exposure therapy', 'Conflicts about accommodation of the OCD', and 'Frustrations of long waiting lists'. The themes that emerged may provide important information for clinicians and the implications of the research findings are discussed. The strengths and limitations of the study are noted and there are suggestions for future research.