Attachment Theory in Clinical Work with Children: Bridging the Gap between Research and Practice » (1st Edition)

David Oppenheim, PhD, is Associate Professor of Psychology at the University of Haifa, Israel, and Associate Editor of Infant Mental Health Journal. He has been involved in attachment research for more than 20 years, focusing on the importance of secure, emotionally open parent-child relations for children's development and mental health. Dr. Oppenheim has also studied how secure attachments are fostered by parental insightfulness into the child's inner world, and has applied attachment concepts and methods in research on clinical populations. He is actively involved in lecturing and writing on the clinical applications of attachment.
 
Douglas F. Goldsmith, PhD, is a practicing psychologist and Executive Director of The Children’s Center, in Salt Lake City, Utah, which specializes in the treatment of families with infants, toddlers, and preschoolers. His work focuses on the assessment and treatment of attachment problems, and he has published several articles regarding the application of attachment theory to clinical practice. Dr. Goldsmith holds adjunct faculty appointments in the Departments of Educational Psychology, Psychology, and Psychiatry at the University of Utah.

Attachment research has tremendous potential for helping clinicians understand what happens when parent-child bonds are disrupted, and what can be done to help. Yet there remains a large gap between theory and practice in this area. This book reviews state-of-the-art knowledge on attachment and translates it into practical guidelines for therapeutic work. Leading scientist-practitioners present innovative strategies for assessing and intervening in parent-child relationship problems; helping young children recover from maltreatment or trauma; and promoting healthy development in adoptive and foster families. Detailed case material in every chapter illustrates the applications of research-based concepts and tools in real-world clinical practice.

Doody Review Services

Reviewer:Gary B Kaniuk, Psy.D.(Cermak Health Services)
Description:This book demonstrates how attachment research can be applied in therapeutic work with children, including practical guidelines for both assessment and intervention to assist parent-child disruptions.
Purpose:This book grew out of an annual conference series that began in 1999, sponsored by the Children's Center in Salt Lake City, Utah, where leading researchers/clinicians discuss how they took the research concepts and methods they were developing and applied them clinically.
Audience:According to the editors, the audience includes "clinicians working with children and their families who are interested in deepening their understanding of the clinical application of attachment concepts and the added value of an attachment perspective for both assessment and intervention." Graduate students in child psychology/psychiatry/social work would benefit greatly as well.
Features:The book is divided into two parts that cover the clinical use of attachment research assessments and attachment theory and psychotherapy. Part one focuses on assessment tools such as the Working Model of the Child Interview (WMCI), Insightful Assessment, Co-Construction Assessment, and assessment of caregiver commitment. Part two addresses traumatized children, at-risk parents, insecurely attached children, and a disorganized mother. The best feature of the book is the inclusion of many case examples that elucidate the concepts. The authors write well, integrating theory and research with practice.
Assessment:This useful book addresses both assessment and intervention issues, enlightening both the seasoned veteran and the novice therapist. It is easy to read and the poignant case material teaches therapeutic lessons. Readers wishing to see how attachment theory is applied to child therapy will not be disappointed.

I. Clinical Use of Attachment Research Assessments
1. Constructing a Relationship Formulation for Mother and Child: Clinical Application of the Working Model of the Child Interview, Charles H. Zeanah
2. Keeping the Inner World of the Child in Mind: Using the Insightfulness Assessment with Mothers in a Therapeutic Preschool, Nina Koren-Karie, David Oppenheim, & Douglas F. Goldsmith
3. Intervening with Maltreated Children and Their Adoptive Families: Identifying Attachment-Facilitative Behaviors, Miriam Steele, Jill Hodges, Jeanne Kaniuk, Howard Steele, Debra D'Agostino, Inga Blom, Saul Hillman, & Kay Henderson
4. The Role of Caregiver Commitment in Foster Care: Insights from the This Is My Baby Interview, Mary Dozier, Damion Grasso, Oliver Lindhiem, & Erin Lewis
5. Parental Resolution of the Child's Diagnosis and the Parent–Child Relationship: Insights from the Reaction to Diagnosis Interview, David Oppenheim, Smadar Dolev, Nina Koren-Karie, Efrat Sher-Censor, Nurit Yirmiya, & Shahaf Salomon
II. Attachment Theory and Psychotherapy
6. Attachment and Trauma: An Integrated Approach to Treating Young Children Exposed to Family Violence, Amy L. Busch & Alicia F. Lieberman
7. The Circle of Security Project: A Case Study--"It Hurts to Give That Which You Did Not Receive," Bert Powell, Glen Cooper, Kent Hoffman, & Robert Marvin
8. Challenging Children's Negative Internal Working Models: Utilizing Attachment-Based Treatment Strategies in a Therapeutic Preschool, Douglas F. Goldsmith
9. Disorganized Mother, Disorganized Child: The Mentalization of Affective Dysregulation and Therapeutic Change, Arietta Slade