Reactive attachment disorder in looked‐after children
Abstract
The great majority of children living in foster or residential care have been abused and neglected. Mental health problems are common and the nature of these problems may be rooted in early attachment relationships. The carers of 82 children in care in Scotland and 125 children from local schools completed questionnaires on mental health problems including Reactive Attachment Disorder. More than half (53%) of the children in care fulfilled criteria for mental health problems compared with 13% of the control group, and children living in care scored significantly higher for conduct problems, emotional problems (anxiety and depression), hyperactivity, problems with peer relations and Reactive Attachment Disorder. This has important implications for service development for this vulnerable group of children.
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The validity and relevance of the criteria for the diagnosis of Reactive Attachment Disorder (RAD) have been controversial, especially regarding how these features should be characterised and assessed after the age of 5 years old.
“In contrast to the general agreement regarding the diagnostic criteria and methods of assessment for most mental disorders in children, the validity and relevance of the criteria for the diagnosis of Reactive Attachment Disorder (RAD) have been more controversial, especially regarding how these features should be characterised and assessed after the age of 5 years old [17,18].”
From Mental disorders in foster children: a study of prevalence, comorbidity and risk factors (2013) · cites this paper as [18]
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- Authors
- Millward, R., Kennedy, E., Towlson, K., & Minnis, H.
- Affiliations
- Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service
- University of Glasgow (GB)
- Corresponding author
- Millward, R.
- Venue
- Emotional and Behavioural Difficulties
- Publisher
- Informa UK Limited
- Published
- 2006-12
- Volume
- 11
- Issue
- 4
- Pages
- 273-279
- ISSN
- 1363-2752 (ISSN-L)
- 1741-2692
- OpenAlex
- W2091410305
- Cited by
- 70
- References
- 22
- Citations by year
- 2025: 2 · 2024: 14 · 2023: 2 · 2021: 2 · 2020: 4 · 2019: 2 · 2018: 6 · 2017: 6 · 2016: 3 · 2015: 3 · 2014: 5 · 2013: 4 · 2012: 4
- FWCI
- 6.91
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Emotional and Behavioural Difficulties (publishedVersion)
- ENLIGHTEN (Jurnal Bimbingan dan Konseling Islam) (submittedVersion)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Safety Research › Child Welfare and Adoption
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Child Abuse and Trauma
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Child and Adolescent Psychosocial and Emotional Development
- Keywords
- reactive attachment disorder, children in care, foster care, residential care, child abuse, child mental health problems, conduct problems, anxiety, depression, hyperactivity, peer relationships, attachment
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