Abstract
Attachment frameworks are increasingly used to understand human development and used by social workers in care planning for children and young people in care. To date, there have been few assessment tools that social workers can use easily and therefore little sustained use of attachment assessment by practitioners in residential care. This paper describes the use of the Attachment Style Interview (ASI) for adolescents and the Vulnerable Attachment Style Questionnaire (VASQ) self-report in a pilot study of young people in residential care in the UK and Isle of Man. The aim was to test these relatively new measures in practice contexts administered by practitioners, and to determine rates of insecure and disorganised attachment style to compare with other studies. Results show around half of the young people had disorganised (or mixed) attachment styles using either measure, with avoidant attachment styles more common than anxious ones. Secure style was rare. There was some difference in young person and carer ratings, with young people rating slightly less disorganised style and more anxious style, but simplified classifications were similar. The implications for assessing attachment style in residential care to improve identification of interpersonal risk and aid with care planning are discussed.
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Disclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.