Improved child behavioural and emotional functioning after Circle of Security 20-week intervention

Area of Science:

• Child Psychology
• Clinical Psychology
• Developmental Psychology

Background:

• Childhood behavioral and emotional problems are a significant concern for parents and clinicians.
• Attachment-based interventions aim to improve parent-child relationships and child functioning.
• The Circle of Security intervention is a 20-week program designed to enhance security in the parent-child relationship.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the efficacy of the attachment-based Circle of Security intervention.
• To assess improvements in child behavioral and emotional functioning.
• To identify potential moderators of treatment outcome.

Main Methods:

• A sample of 83 parents of children (aged 1-7 years) referred for clinical services participated.
• Parents completed questionnaires on child protective factors, behavioral concerns, and internalizing/externalizing problems pre- and post-intervention.
• Child gender, age, parent representations, reflective functioning, attachment, and problem severity were assessed as potential moderators.

Main Results:

• Significant improvements were observed in parent-reported child protective factors, behavioral concerns, and internalizing/externalizing symptoms (p < .05).
• Children with more severe presenting problems demonstrated the most significant improvements.
• Teacher-reported improvements were significant for externalizing problems (p = .030).

Conclusions:

• The Circle of Security intervention is effective in enhancing behavioral and emotional functioning in clinically referred young children.
• The intervention shows promise for children aged 1-7 years with behavioral and emotional difficulties.
• Attachment-based approaches can yield positive outcomes for children facing clinical challenges.