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Insecure and disorganised attachment in children with a pervasive developmental disorder: relationship with social
S H Willemsen-Swinkels1, M J Bakermans-Kranenburg, J K Buitelaar
1Department of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, Utrecht University, The Netherlands. S.H.N.Willemsen@psych.azu.nl
Insights
Children with Pervasive Developmental Disorder (PDD) can form secure attachments. Insecure attachment in PDD is linked to reduced social interaction, but disorganised attachment is not solely explained by autistic behaviors.
Area of Science:
- Child Psychology
- Developmental Neuroscience
- Clinical Psychology
Background:
- Attachment theory is crucial for understanding child development and social-emotional well-being.
- Pervasive Developmental Disorder (PDD) and developmental language disorder (DLD) present unique challenges in social interaction and communication.
- The relationship between attachment styles and autistic behaviors requires further clarification.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the nature of attachment in children with Pervasive Developmental Disorder (PDD).
- To explore the association between attachment security and social behaviors in children with PDD.
- To differentiate the impact of disorganized attachment from autistic behaviors in children with PDD.
Main Methods:
- Comparative study involving children with PDD (N=32), DLD (N=22), and typically developing children (N=28).
- Assessment of attachment security using established methods, including behavioral observations and caregiver interactions.
- Evaluation of social initiatives, responses, and physiological responses (heart rate) during separation and reunion.
Main Results:
- Children with PDD can form secure attachment relationships with primary caregivers.
- Insecure attachment in children with PDD correlated with fewer social initiatives and responses compared to securely attached peers.
- Disorganized attachment was more prevalent in children with PDD and mental retardation, but not solely indicative of autistic behavior.
- Disorganized attachment showed distinct associations with behavioral organization and physiological stress responses compared to PDD diagnosis alone.
Conclusions:
- Secure attachment is achievable for children with PDD, impacting social engagement.
- Disorganized attachment in children with PDD is not merely a reflection of autistic behaviors, suggesting distinct underlying mechanisms.
- Attachment patterns offer valuable insights into the socio-emotional development of children with PDD and DLD.
Abstract:
This study on children with a Pervasive Developmental Disorder (PDD; N = 32), children with developmental language disorder (N = 22), and normally developing children (N = 28) sought to answer questions concerning attachment and autistic behaviour. We could replicate the finding that children with a PDD are able to develop secure attachment relationships to their primary caregiver. Children with PDD who had an insecure attachment showed fewer social initiatives and responses than children with PDD who had a secure attachment, even when the insecurely and securely attached PDD children were matched on chronological and mental age. Children with both a PDD and mental retardation were more often classified as disorganised. Three findings suggested that a disorganised attachment does not merely reflect the presence of "autistic" behaviour: (1) children with PDD did not reveal higher rates of a disorganised attachment than matched comparison children; (2) having a PDD diagnosis and having a disorganised attachment were found to be associated with opposite effects on an ethological measure of level of behavioural organisation; and (3) a disorganised attachment but not a PDD diagnosis was associated with an increase in heart rate during parting with the caregiver and a decrease in heart rate during reunion.