title: Attachment and developmental psychopathology.
abstract: This article describes the case of an 8-year-old boy who was first brought to clinical attention at age 2 1/2. He was followed by several clinicians over a 6-year period and was assigned a wide variety of diagnoses. From the first assessment to hospitalization at age 8, a pattern of mother-child relationship disturbance is evident. The use of principles and recent research derived from attachment theory provides a useful basis for formulation in this complex case. This report focuses on the relationship between the patient's mother's internal working models of attachment and his behavior in infancy and early childhood.
authors.affiliation: Department of Community Health Sciences, Tulane University School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, New Orleans, LA 70112-2824, USA.
authors.forename: N W
authors.initials: NW
authors.lastname: Boris
authors.forename: E E
authors.initials: EE
authors.lastname: Wheeler
authors.forename: S S
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Heller
authors.forename: C H
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Zeanah
mesh_terms: D002648:Child; D002653:Child Behavior Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology; D002675:Child, Preschool; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D009034:Mother-Child Relations; D009769:Object Attachment; D010343:Patient Admission; D010552:Personality Assessment; D010553:Personality Development