Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 24, 2026

Assessing the Coherence of Parents' Short Narratives Regarding their Child Using the Five-Minute Speech Sample Procedure
Published on: September 19, 2019
An exploratory study of the association between reactive attachment disorder and attachment narratives in early
Helen Minnis1, Jonathan Green, Thomas G O'Connor
1Section of Psychological Medicine, University of Glasgow, Scotland. h.minnis@clinmed.gla.ac.uk
Objective:
To explore attachment narratives in children diagnosed with reactive attachment disorder (RAD).
Method:
We compared attachment narratives, as measured by the Manchester Child Attachment Story Task, in a group of 33 children with a diagnosis of RAD and 37 comparison children.
Results:
The relative risk (RR) for children with RAD having an insecure attachment pattern was 2.4 (1.4-4.2) but 30% were rated as securely attached. Within the RAD group, children with a clear history of maltreatment were more likely to be Insecure-Disorganised than children without a clear history of maltreatment.
Conclusions:
Reactive attachment disorder is not the same as attachment insecurity, and questions remain about how attachment research informs clinical research on attachment disorders.
Related Concept Videos
Theory of Romantic Attachment in Adulthood
Attachment
Relationship with Parents: Attachment
Attachment Styles
Hazan and Shaver's Attachment Styles
Oppositional Defiant Disorder
Diagnostic Criteria and...
