Child mental representations of attachment when mothers are traumatized: The relationship of family-drawings to story-stem completion.
This study examines the relationship between child play-narratives and family drawings by children of violence-exposed mothers with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The Family Attachment Drawing Task (FAD-T) and MacArthur Story Stem Battery (MSSB) were administered. Of the 23 children (ages 4-7 years), 16 (70%) created drawings that were coded as being representative of insecure attachment. Attachment insecurity and disorganization of child-caregiver attachment on the FAD-T were significantly associated with trauma-related dimensions of the MSSB, but not to other factors. This study suggests that the FAD-T provides access to child mental representations, which may affect intergenerational transmission of violent trauma.
Schechter
Daniel S
DS
Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University College of Physicians & Surgeons, New York, NY, U.S.A.
Zygmunt
Annette
A
Trabka
Kimberly A
KA
Davies
Mark
M
Colon
Elizabeth
E
Kolodji
Ann
A
McCaw
Jaime E
JE