title: Relational trauma: using play therapy to treat a disrupted attachment.
abstract: Caregiver-child attachment results in a cognitive-emotional schema of self, other, and self-other relationships. Significantly disrupted attachments may lead to pathogenic internal working models, which may have deleterious consequences; this indicates the need for early attachment intervention. The authors consider the therapy of a 3-year-old boy with aggressive behaviors who had lacked consistent caregiving. Attachment theory can account for the child's psychotherapeutic gains, despite his insecure attachment style. The authors discuss discrepancies between treatment and current research trends.
authors.forename: Sarah M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Anderson
authors.forename: Paul M
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: Gedo
mesh_terms: D000374:Aggression / Q000523:psychology*; D001010:Anxiety, Separation / Q000628:therapy*; D002675:Child, Preschool; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009769:Object Attachment; D010287:Parent-Child Relations; D010989:Play Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D016896:Treatment Outcome