title: Attachment representations and response to video-feedback intervention for professional caregivers.
abstract: Interventions to improve caregiving may have different effects for persons with autonomous or nonautonomous attachment representations. The current study used the Adult Attachment Interview to investigate attachment representations of professional caregivers who participated in an intervention to improve interaction with children and adults with serious intellectual and visual disabilities. Caregivers (N = 51) completed a video-feedback interaction program. Twice during a baseline period and three times during the intervention period, each caregiver was videotaped during a standard situation with their client. Of the caregivers, 28 were classified as autonomous, 12 as dismissing, and 11 as preoccupied. Unresolved loss or trauma (n = 7) was not included in the analyses. Generally, interaction quality improved from baseline to intervention period as indicated by confirmation of signals, responsiveness to signals, and affective mutuality. Caregivers with dismissing classifications continued to show less confirmation of clients' signals. Caregivers with dismissing or preoccupied classifications improved their responsiveness to the level of caregivers with autonomous classifications. Attachment representations may modify in some ways the impact of interventions to improve caregiving.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Child and Family Studies, VU University Amsterdam, The Netherlands. c.schuengel@vu.nl
authors.forename: Carlo
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Schuengel
authors.forename: Sabina
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kef
authors.forename: Saskia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Damen
authors.forename: Mijkje
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Worm
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D017028:Caregivers / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D019989:Persons with Intellectual Disabilities; D011369:Professional-Patient Relations; D011787:Quality of Health Care; D014743:Videotape Recording; D019987:Persons with Visual Disabilities; D055815:Young Adult