Factors Associated With Indiscriminate Friendliness in High-Risk Children

Abstract

Indiscriminate friendliness (IF) refers to a lack of reticence with strangers and is well-documented in neglected children. This risky behavior is distinct from attachment insecurity, and persists when parenting/caregiving improves. A previous review has suggested that caregiving quality is not associated with IF. This review aimed to explore factors associated with IF and whether quality of caregiving is important. Ten articles were reviewed using the S.H. Downs and N. Black (1998) Checklist for randomized and nonrandomized studies. Overall quality was high. Results showed that IF is present in fostered populations and postinstitutionalized children. Attachment security was not associated with IF. Length of time in institution and inhibitory control were associated with IF. Inhibitory control moderated the association between IF and number of caregivers. Genetic factors predispose children to IF and may impact on persistence. Quality of caregiving was associated with IF. Emotional availability (i.e., the degree to which carer and child are able to respond to each other's emotional signals) predicted IF. Limitations across studies included heterogeneity in IF measurement and unreliable measures of preadoptive care. Parenting may be a useful target for intervention. Future research should focus on developing a standardized measure of IF as well as evaluating a parental intervention.

Career Counseling in Middle Schools: A Study of School Counselor Self-Efficacy

“…The authors also generated a significant regression model that accounted for 9% of the variance in IF (Liu & Hazler, in press). In alignment with recent research studies (Love et al, 2015;Lyons-Ruth et al, 2015) and the DSM-5, this study provided evidence to support the distinction of IF from attachment. It also introduced alternatives to the pathological perspective toward IF from previous research and diagnostic standards.…”

“…Bennett and colleagues highlighted children's two internal drives underlying their IF behaviors: seeking love/attention and striving to meet personal needs. A comprehensive literature review by Love, Minnis, and O'Connor (2015) also challenged the pathogenic care criterion within the DSM by proposing several additional factors associated with IF, including genetic differences, inhibitory control, cognitive ability, and postadoption caregiving.…”

Practice Parameter for the Assessment and Treatment of Children and Adolescents With Reactive Attachment Disorder and Disinhibited Social Engagement Disorder

“…On the other hand, there is an emerging body of research on attachment disorders in school age children and adolescents. This research has demonstrated that signs of RAD and DSED are demonstrable in school-aged children and adolescents with histories of institutional rearing and maltreatment who are adopted 61,[68][69][70][71] or placed in foster care [72][73][74] but also studies identifying these disorders in impoverished populations of children in whom maltreatment is not specifically identified. 75,76 Two studies have demonstrated discriminate validity of RAD compared to ASD 77, and ADHD.…”

The role of learning in social development: Illustrations from neglected children

“…Early social neglect is associated with both indiscriminate behavior and attachment problems (Love, Minnis & O'Connor, ), and we do not yet understand whether disinhibited/indiscriminate social behavior reflects a disorder of attachment or a behavioral problem with a distinct etiology (see Zeanah & Gleason, , and Lyons‐Ruth, , for clear articulation of both sides of this issue). For scholars focusing on indiscriminate behavior, the core deficit reflects unmodulated behavior, and does not necessarily reflect an overall pattern of organization encompassed by attachment theory.…”