Challenging behaviour and insecure attachment.
BACKGROUND
The present authors investigated a database about people with severe intellectual disability (ID) to explore whether secure/insecure attachment plays a role in challenging behaviour.


METHODS
The study took the form of a survey of staff and carers involved with a cohort of 54 school-leavers with severe ID.


RESULTS
Thirty-four per cent of students were rated by placement staff as 'over-investing in one or a few relationships which become a source of jealousy'. Students without such problems were significantly less likely to show challenging behaviours, while those with them were significantly more likely to be living outside the family home.


CONCLUSIONS
These preliminary results justify more detailed and longitudinal research into the relationship between attachment status and challenging behaviour.
D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D009769:Object Attachment; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires