Attachment Theory

Theories of Attachment

How does attachment theory explain relationship difficulties in adulthood?

Prisoners and their families

Attachment anxiety

Cognitive distortions

Empathy

Theory based intervention

Impact on developmental trajectory:

Bio-psychosocial perspective

click to edit

Social

Biological

Psychological

Sudbury (2010) "...'person in the situation' not just the person on their own, nor just the social arrangements arou, but the two together".

Attachment Theory

Offers a Multi-Level Explanation

Inate powerful human drive to seek relationships

  1. Biological level: Inate powerful human drive to seek relationships
  1. Behavioural level: How/why we behave in relationships as we do.
  1. Emotional level: Why it feels as it does, to be in a relationship
  1. Cognitive level: The source of our models and predictions of relationships

Developmental Pathways Model of attachment theory: we are the product of all of our experiences, not just our early ones

Historical Context

  1. Charles Darwin - evolution theory
  1. Konrad Lorenz
  1. Harry Harlow
  1. Mary Ainsworth
  1. James and Joyce Robertson

Intergenerational transmission of criminality

Studies on the effects of offending behaviour on families

• Cambridge Study – (Farrington, Coid and Murray, 2009);

• Pittsburg Youth Study – (Farrington et al. 2001);

• Criminal Career and Life Course Study – (Van de Rakt, Nieuwbeerta and De Graaf, 2008).

Explanation

Exposed to multiple risk factors: poverty, disruption and deprivation;

‘Assortative mating’ – social proximity

Children modelling their own behaviour based on their parents behaviour

Genetic predisposition

Exacerbated by environmental influences, such as poor parental supervision, large family size, harsh and inconsistent discipline

Closer monitoring of 'Criminal' families may mean they are more subject to any official bias.

Labelling

Impact of trauma over the life course

ACE's. Include, before 18yrs:

  1. Parents who misuse substances;
  1. A parent who is the victim of domestic abuse;
  1. A family member who is incarcerated in the criminal justice system;
  1. A family member diagnosed with a mental illness or who is depressed;
  1. The disappearance of a parent through divorce, death or abandonment;
  1. Physical abuse;
  1. Sexual abuse;
  1. Physical neglect;
  1. Emotional neglect ;
  1. Recurrent emotional abuse including bullying.

Effects

Neurological

Biological

Psychological

Social and Behavioural

Cognitive impairment

Toxic stress derails healthy brain development

Changes in neurobiology

Social and emotional impairment

Behavioural problems

Physical health problems and early death.

(4+ ACEs) 20x more likely to serve custodial sentences

Adoption of health-risk behaviours as coping mechanisms

(4+ ACEs) 15x more likely to have used violence against another person in past 12 months

(4+ ACEs) 14x more likely to have been victim of violence

(4+ ACEs) 6x more likely to have had sex under age of 16

(4+ ACEs) 16x more likely to have used crack cocaine/heroin

Psychological effects most severe if the trauma is:

Human caused

Repeated

Unpredictable

Multifaceted

Sadistic

Undergone in childhood

Perpetrated by a caregiver

Lack of conscience and empathy

Poor abilities to relate cause and effect

Poor ability to regulate or express emotions

Impact on world view:

The world is an unsafe place to live in;

• Other people are unsafe and cannot be trusted;

• My own thoughts and feelings are unsafe;

• I expect crisis, danger and loss;

• I have no self-worth and no abilities

Impact on coping strategies.

External:

– Anger

– Violence towards others

– Truancy

– Criminal acts

Internal:

– Denial, repression

– Substance use

– Eating Disorders

– Violence to self

– Dissociation

click to edit