title: Attachment, intellectual disabilities and mental health: research, assessment and intervention.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Attachment theory is highly influential in child and adult mental health research and practice. Research and practice have started now to explore the potential value of an attachment perspective for understanding and alleviating the challenges that persons with intellectual disabilities face in mental health and social participation.
  
  
  METHODS
  Research on attachment and intellectual disabilities is reviewed on its importance for knowledge, assessment and intervention.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Progress was found in understanding and distinguishing attachment behaviours, attachment relationships, attachment representations, attachment styles and attachment disorders and their respective implications for assessment and intervention.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Of the various attachment-related concepts, insights into attachment behaviours and relationships showed the most promise for practical applications in the field of intellectual disabilities. Findings on representations, styles and disorders were inconclusive or preliminary. Attachment-informed research and practice can be part of emerging developmental understanding of functioning with intellectual disabilities.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Child and Family Studies and EMGO+ Institute for Health and Care Research, VU University Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands. c.schuengel@vu.nl
authors.forename: Carlo
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Schuengel
authors.forename: Johanna Clasien
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: de Schipper
authors.forename: Paula S
authors.initials: PS
authors.lastname: Sterkenburg
authors.forename: Sabina
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kef
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D017028:Caregivers / Q000523:psychology; D002648:Child; D002657:Child Development; D002675:Child, Preschool; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008607:Intellectual Disability / Q000523:psychology*; D009769:Object Attachment; D010287:Parent-Child Relations; D019989:Persons with Intellectual Disabilities / Q000523:psychology*; D011369:Professional-Patient Relations; D011582:Psychological Theory; D019962:Reactive Attachment Disorder / Q000523:psychology