Changing styles: Creating a Secure Attachment for Parents and Children with Insecure Attachments Group Manual

Abstract

Parent-child attachments start forming immediately when the child is born. There are four different attachment styles that parent and child relationships fall into: secure, insecure avoidant, insecure resistant, and disorganized. Each of these styles have a unique set of characteristics the child displays as well as how the parent-child relationship appears. Forming a secure attachment between parent and child is necessary for a child to develop normal relationship patterns into adulthood. Without a nurturing sensitive relationship with a caregiver, a child may lack security and sensitivity into adulthood. Parent Child Interaction Therapy is a form of attachment counseling that uses training and coaching of parents to initiate healthy play and communication patterns. Filial therapy is another form of attachment counseling that encourages the development of the parent child relationship through structured play. This manual combines the two forms of attachment therapies into a concise group format designed to give parents psychoeducation and skills training. By participating in the group, parents are working to change their insecure attachment with their child and turn it into a secure attachment