title: An attachment-focused parent-child intervention for biting behaviour in a child with intellectual disability: A clinical case study.
abstract: Attachment and attachment-related psychopathology has increasingly gained focus since Bowlby introduced the concept into the clinical repertoire. However, little has been done to explore attachment, or attachment-based interventions, within the context of intellectual disability. Clinical experience, however, has demonstrated significant attachment-related problems in children with intellectual disability. This article explores one such case of a 13-year-old girl with moderate intellectual disability and severe and persistent externalizing behavioural difficulties - biting, in particular. Once the severity of the behaviour was formulated within the framework of attachment, a structured attachment-focused parent-child intervention was designed in order to repair the damaged attachment between mother and daughter as a way of addressing the problematic behaviour. Outcomes demonstrated a sustained - immediately, at 3- and 6-month follow-up - positive impact of the intervention not only on the presenting problem but also on the quality of the relationship between mother and daughter. Research and clinical implications are discussed.
authors.affiliation: Lentegeur Psychiatric Hospital, South Africa ahmedriazm@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Ahmed Riaz
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Mohamed
authors.affiliation: Lentegeur Psychiatric Hospital, South Africa; University of Cape Town, South Africa.
authors.forename: Siyabulela
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Mkabile
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000374:Aggression / Q000523:psychology*; D005196:Family Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008607:Intellectual Disability / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D009034:Mother-Child Relations / Q000523:psychology*; D009769:Object Attachment; D000066553:Problem Behavior / Q000523:psychology*
keywords: attachment; case study; intellectual disability; parent–child psychotherapy