Attachment and Family Therapy

Attachment & Family Therapy offers an integrative, family-based approach to understanding and addressing the psychological and relational needs of distressed children and their parents. The book blends attachment theory and basic developmental research with the diverse insights and methods of all schools of family systems theory. The problems addressed range from mild developmental issues, to autism, ADHD, disability, divorce and separation, psychosomatic disorders, and child protection and out-of-home placement. The solutions described involve not only traditional forms of family therapy, but also formulations and conceptualizations that combine individual, couples, and family work around specific issues. Crittenden, Dallos, Landini and Kozlowska present a model of attachment that fits the breadth of clinical variation, focuses on family strengths, is developmentally sophisticated and structurally informed by insights from neurology and information-processing. This model generates a systemic approach to treatment in which dysfunction is interpersonal. It is a response to real danger experienced by family members and requires uniquely sensitive interpersonal responses.