Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Bird’S Nest Drawing: Exploring The Attachment Of Left-Behind Children In China, Ziyi Su

Expressive Therapies Dissertations

To explore the attachment of left-behind children (LBC), this mixed-methods study analyzed the Bird’s Nest Drawings (BND) and narratives from 117 fourth graders from Shaanxi and Gansu, China. Overall, the BND of LBC showed less secure-attachment features. These distinctions can be seen in several pictorial elements, and manifest differently across gender groups and rural versus urban groups. Drawings and narratives revealed eight underlying themes of absence, longing, and support from parent and peer attachment. Children creatively communicated complex emotions and attachment experiences through the metaphor of the bird’s nest, ranging from abandonment, loneliness, and vulnerability, to coping, hope, and resilience. …

The Impact Of Human Attachment To A Pet Bird On Psychological Well-Being, Kathryn Marie Trautann

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Few studies have addressed human attachment to a pet bird and psychological well-being, and the research that has been conducted is largely anecdotal and anthropomorphic perspectives on human relationships with birds. In this quantitative study, the relationships between humans and their birds were explored using Bowlby's attachment theory and Fredrickson and Losada's broaden and build theory. The study consisted of a randomized experiment, in which individuals were randomly assigned to either an attachment (n = 81) or detachment (n = 88) group. The security priming manipulation was used to prime the groups. The attachment group was asked to list things …

The Association Between Attachment Styles And Binge Eating Behaviours: Examination Of The Mediational Role Of Emotional Dysregulation In The Arab Region, Diala Kassab

Theses

Many factors are said to affect binge eating behaviours, one of these factors is the individual’s attachment style. Attachment styles is the early relationship that shape a child's ideas and expectations about themselves and the availability of other people. This can be mediated by the ability to effectively respond and manage emotional experiences. This thesis aimed to examine the role of emotional dysregulation on attachments styles and binge eating behaviours in the Arab region.
A sample of 326 Arab university students, predominantly Emirati and Lebanese, were recruited using convenience sampling and snowball sampling technique. Participants were asked to complete a …

Occupational Therapy In Family Education: Fourth Trimester Wellness To Kindergarten Readiness, Gabrielle Madeline Hagen

Occupational Therapy Capstone Presentations

Early intervention programs provide unique opportunities for children to develop cognitive, socioemotional, behavioral, and executive functioning skills which are necessary for success in the school environment. The purpose of this 14-week capstone experience was to integrate trauma-informed occupational therapy principles into an early childhood family education course and to advocate for the role of occupational therapy in postpartum and postnatal wellness. Methods included facilitating play-based interactions between caregivers and children, preparing and presenting educational materials, completing an annotated bibliography, and developing a freely accessible webpage with information about fourth trimester support. The outcomes of this project demonstrate that implementation of …

Does Caregiver Use Of Portable Technology Impact Attachment For Infants And Young Children?, Caitlyn Alejo, Kevin Antoine, Christine Caley, Tess Morgan

Occupational Therapy Evidence Projects

Ellie Olson, OTR/L, the primary collaborator for this project, is the owner of Fall City Children’s Therapy. In collaboration with occupational therapy (OT) students and faculty advisors, Renee Watling, Maggie Hayes, and Yvonne Swinth, the research question, “Does caregiver use of portable technology impact attachment for infants and young children?” was developed. This systematic review resulted in 12 articles meeting inclusion and exclusion criteria. The articles reported mixed results: (1) association between parent technology use and child attachment, (2) no association between parent technology use and child attachment, and (3) other associations besides parent technology use and child attachment, including …

The Makings Of Creativity And Empathy: Maps Of Maternal Representations, Anielle M. Fredman

Dissertations and Theses

ABSTRACT

The Makings of Creativity and Empathy: Maps of Maternal Representations

by

Anielle M. Fredman

Advisor: Sasha Rudenstine, Ph.D.

The present study investigates the relationship between maternal fantasy of the child and their relationship, and children’s unconscious processes. In addition, the study aims to ascertain the link between maternal representations and aspects of the child’s intrapsychic world, including ego functioning, object relations, and processes of separation-individuation.

Maternal fantasy was measured in an original way with a tripartite typology of Positive, Mixed-Complex, and Contradictory Representations, applied to the Parent Development Interview-Revised Short (Slade et al., 2004), adapted from the Working Model …

The Perceived Impact Of Childbirth Related Ptsd And Maternal Bonding, Sheila Baez

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractChildbirth has been increasingly viewed as a potentially traumatic event and process impacting both mother and infant. Previous research on childbirth has concentrated on the development of postpartum depression and its impact; research on posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) after childbirth has been limited. However, the results of this research study suggested that the development of childbirth-related PTSD may be a far more common phenomenon than previously suggested. Bowlby’s attachment theory and Ainsworth’s further development and expansion of the theory served as a framework which investigated the experiences of 10 biological females, aged 21 and over previously diagnosed with PTSD after …

The Perceived Impact Of Childbirth Related Ptsd And Maternal Bonding, Sheila Baez

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractChildbirth has been increasingly viewed as a potentially traumatic event and process impacting both mother and infant. Previous research on childbirth has concentrated on the development of postpartum depression and its impact; research on posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) after childbirth has been limited. However, the results of this research study suggested that the development of childbirth-related PTSD may be a far more common phenomenon than previously suggested. Bowlby’s attachment theory and Ainsworth’s further development and expansion of the theory served as a framework which investigated the experiences of 10 biological females, aged 21 and over previously diagnosed with PTSD after …

The Neurobiology Of The Healing Arts: Expressive Arts Therapy As An Effective Treatment For Adults Diagnosed With Complex Ptsd Due To Complex Trauma In Childhood: A Literature Review, Cheryl Ratliff

Expressive Therapies Capstone Theses

Empirically based therapies for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) have been found to be less effective in treating more severe trauma presentations such as complex PTSD (CPTSD). Neurobiological investigation provides a framework for examining the physical and psychological effects of trauma on brain and nerve structures and provides insight into how to effectively treat CPTSD. This literature review examined symptomology of CPTSD resulting from complex trauma in childhood, neurobiological effects of trauma and their implications for treatment, and the efficacy of the current treatment models, primarily those of eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR), narrative exposure therapy (NET), and somatic psychotherapies. …

A Life Lived With Schizophrenia: When Mother’S Love Is Kept In The Dark Exploring Maternal Communication And Attachment Organization In Families With Schizophrenia, Myrsini Stefanidou Marini

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

In recent years, research into the transgenerational transmission of attachment styles has shown that a mother’sattachment style often predicts the attachment style of her infant. Fearsome parental behavior has been found to predict disorganized attachment in infants, which is further associated with a range of mental health disturbances in adolescence. Furthermore, regular patterns of disturbed communication between mother and child have also been found to lead to ‘schizophrenic’ thinking and behavior in the child’s life. While acknowledging that genetic and other biological factors contribute to the emergence of schizophrenia, this study focused on disorganized attachment and disturbed communication between mother …

Adolescent Mothers And Kangaroo Mother Care: A Scoping Review, Genna K. Rivers, Robin B. Dail Phd, Rn, Faan, Robin Dawson Phd, Rn, Cpnp-Pc

Senior Theses

Kangaroo mother care (KMC), the practice in which mothers hold their infants skin-to-skin against their bare chest, can increase bonding and attachment between mothers and their infants. However, there is not much research on the benefits of KMC within the adolescent or teen mother population (13-19 years old). The purpose of this scoping review was to identify how common KMC is within the teen mother population, determine how KMC varies based on social determinants of health and race/ethnicity within the adolescent mother population, and how KMC impacts adolescent mothers’ maternal attachment and bonding with their infants. PubMed and CINAHL databases …

Parent Style Of Coping Based On Attachment In The Nicu, Claire Elizabeth Payne

MSU Graduate Theses

This quantitative study sought to identify any relationship between attachment type and coping style in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, to better understand and provide resources and support to families in this environment. This study included ten participants who had an infant in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit for at least five days. Each participant met the additional criteria of being older than the age of 18 and speaking English. Responses were recorded through a self-report survey, consisting of 115 Likert scale statements. Results indicated that most parents self-report secure attachment and that styles of coping varied within those securely …

Nicu Experiences Of Adoptive Parents & Desired Preparation, Catherine J. Howe

MSU Graduate Theses

Parents who have newborns admitted into the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) have multiple experiences and emotions. Additional social and emotional layers are experienced by adoptive couples when the infant they wish to adopt needs specialized care. This research study was completed to find out what adoptive parents experience in the NICU and what preparation would have been helpful. The method included semi-structured, open-ended interviews with seven couples who adopted a newborn at a Midwestern adoption agency within the past three years and had a NICU experience. The results described adoptive couples’ experiences on the unit, bonding and attachment, fears …

The Role Of Counseling Trainee Adversity, Attachment Style, And Trauma-Informed Principles In Clinical Supervision, Nicole Hurless

Dissertations

Current supervision literature suggests that supervisees with insecure attachment styles may perceive a poorer relationship with their supervisor and feel less satisfied with supervision. Studies across disciplines indicate a relationship between traumatic and/or adverse experiences and insecure attachment; however, this association has not been studied within the context of supervision. This dissertation explores a structural equation model assessing the associations between student’s adverse experiences, insecure attachment, and quality of the supervision relationship. It was hypothesized that greater prevalence of adverse experiences would negatively relate to supervision relationship quality, and this relationship would be mediated by insecure attachment. The results of …

Benefits Of Creative Therapies With Adoption And Complex Trauma: A Literature Review, Rosellen Boucher

Expressive Therapies Capstone Theses

This literature review explores the history of modern adoption and the effects on the adopted from a developmental, emotional, and behavioral standpoint. The review aims at addressing these specific needs through the use of art therapy. To become better acquainted with the concept, the history of modern adoption, as it pertains to the United States, is summarized with three subcategories as a focus points: domestic, international, and the foster care system. Building off of the history is a reflection on the past research surrounding adoption by considering adverse childhood experiences, complex trauma, attachment, and identity formation as it relates. Legislation …

Promoting Secure Attachment In Parent-Child Dyads: A Head Start Approach, Summer Annette Bradley

Art Therapy Counseling Final Research Projects

This grant proposal focuses on a partnership with SIUE Head Start centers in providing educational child-rearing resources, community building and parent-child dyad work to promote a more secure attachment in parent-child relationships. This proposed art therapy program will serve up to fourteen parent and child dyads within an academic year period at the estimated cost of $91,005. This program utilizes the existing Head Start staff members and enrolled families who have already expressed the need for attachment-based work.

SIUE Head Start currently serves 1,181 students who are 3-5 years of age under the curriculum and program outline of the National …

Perspectives Of Caregivers On Early Onset Dementia: An Investigation Of The Role Of Attachment And Shifts In Identity, Claire Wood

Rehabilitation, Human Resources and Communication Disorders Undergraduate Honors Theses

Early onset dementia (EOD) alters the lives of person with dementia (PWD) and caregivers as it broadens from helping with the instrumental activities of daily living to full time assistance with essential activities of daily living. Research literature reports that pre-morbid attachment style continues to be emotionally and behaviorally expressed over the course of dementia; individual and shared narratives contribute to maintenance of personhood and identity; and that maintenance of self and other contributes to quality of life. The purpose of this study was to investigate changes in caregiver perceptions of themselves and their quality of life in the caregiving …

Integrating Art Therapy And Emotionally Focused Therapy With Couples: A Conceptual Framework, Pauline A. Hall

LMU/LLS Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative study examines how art interventions are aligned and integrated with emotionally focused therapy (EFT; Johnson, 2020) in the treatment of relational distress with couples. EFT is a brief humanistic evidence-based treatment, grounded in attachment theory, with experiential and systemic approaches to intervention that engage underlying emotion to create more secure bonds. Notably scant literature exists blending art-based and verbal approaches in EFT, despite the importance of verbal imagery in EFT intervention and the experiential nature of expressive therapies. In this study, NVivo qualitative data analysis software facilitated thematic analysis of semi-structured interviews with five clinicians who integrate the …

Observational Measurement Of Attachment In Toddlers With Disruptive Behavior Using The Strange Situation Procedure And Attachment Q-Set, Corey C. Lieneman

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports

Child-caregiver attachment is an important factor in healthy child development and is often targeted by early intervention programs. To assess the efficacy of these interventions, attachment must be accurately measured across the toddler years in populations referred for treatment of externalizing behavior problems. The Strange Situation Procedure (SSP; Ainsworth et al., 1978) and Attachment Q-Set (AQS; Waters, 1987) are empirically-validated measures of child-caregiver attachment, each with unique strengths and weaknesses. Previous research has reached mixed conclusions on relations between the observer-report AQS and SSP, depending on sample and study characteristics, and a review of the literature did not produce any …

Exploring The Impact Of Insecure Attachment Styles In Couple Adjustment Through The Lens Of Cluster B Pathology, Laura Bonnemort

Dissertations

The current body of research literature appears to lack adequate studies focused on individuals who possess an insecure attachment, potential cluster B personality pathology, and who are engaged in couple discord. The following clinical research project explored how insecure attachments impact the trajectory of both cluster B pathology and adult couples’ relationship discord. Studies reviewed included adults diagnosed with mood disorders, personality pathology, and those engaged in couples therapy due to dissatisfaction and discord. Developing an insecure attachment in childhood appears to place adults at risk for higher rates of personality pathology and risky romantic relationships fraught with discord. Evidence-based …

Building Attachment Between Infant And Caregiver With Postpartum Depression Through Dance Movement/Therapy, Teri Steinberg

Dance/Movement Therapy Theses

This thesis discusses the process of fostering secure attachment with infants and mothers

suffering from postpartum depression, through dance/movement therapy. The mother-infant attachment and how it affects the overall lifespan of an individual. The impact of postpartum depression on attachment, and its effect throughout the lifespan is discussed, as well as different treatment intervention for insecure attachment and postpartum depression. Since insecure attachment is a common result of postpartum depression, a dual intervention process is recommended. Dance/movement therapy, with its emphasis on the body and non-verbal relationship building, provides a space to address both of these challenges.

Fathers' Experiences With Their Premature Infants Or Unhealthy Neonates, Lisa Cummings

Dissertations

Author: Lisa Cummings PhD RN

Fathers’ Experiences with Their Premature Infants or Unhealthy Neonates

Purpose and Background/Significance: Fifteen million babies worldwide are born prematurely each year, impacting a multitude of fathers. The importance of an early close father-infant relationship has been identified as central for the development of the child. Fathers influence on a child’s emotional and cognitive development and their physical well-being and health. Many times, the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) is the initial contact environment between a father and his premature infant. Studies have shown that the NICU can be a stressful environment for parents, producing emotional …

Efficacy Of Invisalign Attachments: A Retrospective Study, Theresa Karras

Master's Theses (2009 -)

Objective: To compare the efficacy of Invisalign’s (Align Technology, Inc., Santa Clara, CA) optimized and conventional attachments on rotational and extrusive tooth movements.Materials and Methods: Initial, predicted, and achieved digital dental models from 100 orthodontic patients were exported from Invisalign’s ClinCheck software as stereolithography (STL) files and subsequently imported into the Slicer CMF program (open source, version 4.7.0) for superimpositions on posterior teeth with no planned movement. Rotational and extrusive measurements for both optimized and conventional attachment types were made on 382 teeth from the superimposition of the initial and predicted models (“predicted movement”) and from the superimposed initial and …

Visual Art Therapy, Attachment, And The Adoption Constellation: A Literature Review, Caitlin Woodstock

Expressive Therapies Capstone Theses

The following literary review is intended to synthesize existing data pertaining to art therapy and its application within adoption informed therapy. The adoption experience will be explored, and the basic tenants of trauma and attachment will be outlined. Current modes of trauma-informed therapy will be introduced and their compatibility with art therapy will be explored. The author will introduce a variety of art therapy interventions as presented through an assortment of theoretical lenses. These applications will be subdivided into their application with individual constellation members, families, groups, and will extend to immigrants and displaced individuals likely to enter into the …

Sometimes A Crucible: Mindfulness Art Therapy Experientials In A Dbt-Oriented Residential Partial Hospitalization Program For Dually-Diagnosed Adults, Joan Mancuso

Expressive Therapies Capstone Theses

My thesis concerns observations made while incorporating mindfulness-oriented art therapy experientials into hour-long, didactic DBT skills-training groups at a residential partial program serving dually-diagnosed adults. For the thesis, I adapted two exercises from Clark’s DBT-Informed Art Therapy. My research method was arts-based grounded theory, referencing Corbin’s grounded theory and Wadeson and Allen’s thinking on the use of art for professional processing. My data took the form of a journal, word clouds, poems, and small artworks I iteratively created to deepen my learnings. My experientials highlighted areas of confusion regarding mindfulness that I attempted to address. Through the process, I …

Attachment Security And Psychological Health In Adult Child Caregivers And Their Parents With Alzheimer’S Disease And Related Dementias, Wei Aiko Chang

Public Health Theses

Objective: Attachment theory is a helpful framework for examining one of the most fundamental needs in parent-child dyads across the lifespan and how attachment security might protect both dyad members’ psychological health, especially in times of crisis. In this study of adult child caregivers and their parents with early stage Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias (ADRD), we examined the associations between both dyad members’ attachment security, the adult child’s depressive symptoms, and quality of life of the parent with ADRD.

Method: Thirty-four individuals (parents) with ADRD and their 34 adult-child caregivers each completed the 12-item Experiences in Close Relationship Scale …

What’S Your Story? Assessing Childhood Maltreatment Using The Thematic Apperception Test In An Adult Inpatient Population., Thachell C. Tanis

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

There is a robust evidence that childhood maltreatment contributes to the development of adult psychopathology (Brown & Anderson, 1991; Johnson, Cohen, Brown, Smailes, & Bernstein 1999; Johnson, Smailes, Cohen, Brown, & Bernstein, 2000; Ruggiero et al., 1999). However, the identification of childhood maltreatment remains a methodological problem that results in inconsistencies in the reported incidence and psychological sequelae of maltreatment. A primary method for identifying histories of childhood maltreatment among adults is retrospective self-report measures which are susceptible to multiple biases (Briere, 1992; Cicchetti & Rizley, 1981; Shaffer, Huston, & Egeland, 2008). This present study suggests that childhood maltreatment can …

How Can The Attunement Needs Of Children With Disorganized Attachment Styles Be Supported Through Expressive Arts Therapy?, Jayne Paley

Expressive Therapies Capstone Theses

Treatment strategies for school age children with disorganized attachment are not well established. This population exhibits a range of difficulties in social relationships and self-regulation. Additionally, children with disorganized attachment generally rely on defense mechanisms and present with other comorbid conditions, adding to the complexity of treatment. This paper explores current research and theories about disorganized attachment and then, on the basis of evidence provided throughout this paper, proposes the concept of attunement needs in relation to working with children with disorganized attachment. The attunement needs described in this paper, derived from the literature, include safety/security, control/power, consistency, affective release, …

Self-Applied Touch To Promote Self-Regulation In Adolescent Males With Problem Sexual Behaviors: Development Of A Method, Nicole Krzeminski

Expressive Therapies Capstone Theses

Adolescents who have experienced problematic attachment relationships in infancy often have difficulty with self-regulation and therefore may cope using destructive means such as harmful sexual behavior. Self-regulation is the ability to calm the mind and body and manage emotions appropriately. Dance/movement therapy (DMT) may be a beneficial treatment tool for adolescents with problem sexual behaviors (PSB) to teach self-regulation techniques that may have not been developed due to early traumatic experiences. Self-applied touch is a DMT intervention that may assist individuals with self-regulation that was missed during critical developmental periods. This Capstone project implemented a self-applied touch warm-up with six …

Older Adult Men’S Emotional Bonds With Their Dogs, Ranell L. Mueller

Theses and Dissertations--Gerontology

Knowledge of the deeper meanings of attachment to companion animals is limited, particularly in terms of older adults. This study employed a modified grounded theory method, a phenomenological lens and a life course perspective to gather and analyze data garnered from individual interviews and panel discussions in order to investigate the multiple dimensions of older adult men’s relationships with their companion animal dogs. Individual audio-recorded in-depth interviews and repeated panel discussions with a sub-group of the participants, convened as a panel over a three-month period, explored behavioral and emotional manifestations of attachment and the emotional bond to their companion animal …