A doctoral portfolio submitted to the University of Wolverhampton for the purpose of Practitioner Doctorate: Counselling Psychology.Background: Investigations into young people with Social Emotional and Behavioural Difficulties (SEBD), shows an enormous number of these young people, growing up in adverse circumstances, some grow into competent, sociable, productive adults, whilst others do not (Atwool; 2006; Harvey & Deifabbro, 2004). What is not as clear is what individual differences account for the way in which they handle their disadvantages and risks; what makes some young people more resilient than others; and what role (if any) does their attachment have on the way in which they manage their SEBD, when they are at school and in relation to the world in which they reside?
Aim: In order to explore these questions further, two studies were designed with the aim of investigating the impact of insecure attachment in relation to the resilience on young people who were experiencing SEBD.
Study 1: The twenty five participants in study 1 (the comparison group) were aged 14 to 18 years old, and came from a secondary school in the West Midlands. The comparison group participants completed the Resiliency Scale for Children and Adolescents (RSCA) (Prince-Embury, 2013).
Findings: Young people in the target and comparison groups scored in the low bands for the Sense of Mastery (MAS) and Sense of Relatedness (REL) categories, the differences between them were insignificant. The Emotional Reactivity (REA) category, differed somewhat in that the target group scored comparatively higher than the comparison group.
Study 2: To expand on the findings of study 1, Study 2 explored the nature of young people’s SEBD in relation to how they manage their close relationships. Study 2 consisted of eight, participants with Social, Emotional and Behavioural Difficulties, from the same school as the comparison group. Participants were first asked to complete the same resiliency scale, as their peers from the comparison group. Participants then individually, took part in the Attachment Style Interview (ASI) (Biffulco 2010), which explored and captured their experiences.
Findings: A detailed account of their relationships showed that the attachment style, which is derived from their ability to make and maintain relationships had an impact on how they managed their SEBD interactions with others. The presence of any insecure style co-occurred with poor support, low self-esteem and childhood adversity. Severe anxiety and anxiety and depression co-occurred with insecurity, whilst less severe anxiety although presented as insecure in attachment showed a milder level of security, when the ability to make and maintain relationships was slightly higher. Anxiety when the ability to make and maintain relationships was much higher showed a clearly secure attachment and was significantly related to positive parental relationships and positive support
