title: Recent advances in the theories of and interventions with attachment disorders.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The present review examines the available literature to consider recent advances in the theories of, and interventions with, disorders of attachment. We discuss the existing evidence to argue that the conceptualization of attachment disorders remains problematic despite their clinical significance.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Research into clinical disorders of attachment is limited, but there is some recent evidence that a standardized approach to diagnosis may improve identification. The current classificatory systems do not accommodate all clinical presentations and proposed broader approaches have greater clinical utility. A recent review of interventions for attachment disordered children confirms that 'coercive' interventions have no empirical support and are not biased on coherent principles of attachment theory.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Clinical interest in identification and treatment of attachment disorders has remained high. This is despite continuing confusion regarding terminology, phenomenology and diagnosis. The lack of agreed definition and conceptualization of these conditions is reflected in disparate approaches to intervention and limited empirical data. Interventions have little demonstrated benefit and some potential risk.
authors.affiliation: New South Wales Institute of Psychiatry, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. louise.newman@nswiop.nsw.edu.au
authors.forename: Louise
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Newman
authors.forename: Sarah
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Mares
mesh_terms: D002648:Child; D006801:Humans; D009769:Object Attachment; D011582:Psychological Theory; D011613:Psychotherapy; D019962:Reactive Attachment Disorder / Q000145:classification / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy*; D012944:Social Support