Addressing the Complex Needs of Students With Attachment Disorders

Abstract

Attachment disorders are a relatively rare condition affecting children. This is particularly true for those who are adopted or living in foster care, and are thought to be attributed to an interruption in the bonding between a child and his or her caregiver. Attachment disorders are divided into two distinct categories: a predominately withdrawn type (i.e., Reactive Attachment Disorder) and a predominately disinhibited type (i.e., Disinhibited Social Engagement Disorder). This column provides an overview of the characteristics in the two types of attachment disorders and offers suggestions for educational programming.

How Are We Doing?: Family-School Relationships and Children With Reactive Attachment Disorder

“…It is vital, that for this subset of students, the family should be incorporated as equal and valued partners in the educational decisions made for their children [5,6,33,34]. That families should be an integral and equal part of the early childhood/early intervention (ECEI) team [10,42] may be even more important for promoting positive outcomes for children with behavior disorders [43].…”

“…The importance of implementing a systems approach to addressing the challenges presented in schools by children with RAD has also been highlighted in the literature [33], suggesting that schools need to implement a multi-tiered system of support (MTSS) approach when addressing the needs of the child with RAD. Losinski, Katsiyannis, White, & Wiseman [33] acknowledged that it is especially important to develop effective partnerships with key stakeholders and to take collaborative actions, where stakeholders work closely together to develop academic, social, and behavioral programs.…”

“…This continuity would be difficult to provide without parental or caregiver input [16]. It is further seen as crucial that families are included and recognized as key stakeholders [33]. In fact, family therapy is cited as a critical part of the treatment package [33].…”

“…It is further seen as crucial that families are included and recognized as key stakeholders [33]. In fact, family therapy is cited as a critical part of the treatment package [33]. Finally, the literature argued that school professionals, mental health professionals, community-based agencies, and families need to work together to ensure students with RAD receive needed supports and services in a timely manner [33,34].…”

“…Losinski, Katsiyannis, White, & Wiseman [33] further asserted that service plans for the child with RAD should utilize a multi-system approach. They noted that these plans should be viewed more as a family service plan than an individualized treatment plan for the child.…”