title: Changing toddlers' and preschoolers' attachment classifications: the Circle of Security intervention.
abstract: The Circle of Security intervention uses a group treatment modality to provide parent education and psychotherapy that is based on attachment theory. The purpose of this study was to track changes in children's attachment classifications pre- and immediately postintervention. Participants were 65 toddler- or preschooler- caregiver dyads recruited from Head Start and Early Head Start programs. As predicted, there were significant within-subject changes from disorganized to organized attachment classifications, with a majority changing to the secure classification. In addition, only 1 of the 13 preintervention securely attached children shifted to an insecure classification. Results suggest that the Circle of Security protocol is a promising intervention for the reduction of disorganized and insecure attachment in high-risk toddlers and preschoolers.
authors.affiliation: Center for Clinical Intervention, Marycliff Institute, Spokane, WA 99204, USA. kenthoffman1422@comcast.net
authors.forename: Kent T
authors.initials: KT
authors.lastname: Hoffman
authors.forename: Robert S
authors.initials: RS
authors.lastname: Marvin
authors.forename: Glen
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Cooper
authors.forename: Bert
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Powell
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002675:Child, Preschool; D018479:Early Intervention, Educational; D004493:Education / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009769:Object Attachment; D010287:Parent-Child Relations; D010552:Personality Assessment; D011615:Psychotherapy, Group / Q000379:methods*; D019962:Reactive Attachment Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*; D012307:Risk Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome