Examines the relationship between parental attachment histories and child externalizing and internalizing behaviors. The Adult Attachment Interview was given to 27 mothers and fathers with children 3.5 years old. Models that included fathers' attachment histories predicted more variance in kindergarten teachers' descriptions of children's…

A new psychometric instrument for measuring the impact of divorce on elementary school age children was developed: the Child's Report of the Impact of Separation by Parents (CRISP). This structured projective test was specifically designed to assess children's postdivorce stress/adjustment. An initial version of the CRISP was administered to 99…

Presents an annotated bibliography of children's books which parents and teachers can use to help young children deal with separation anxiety and other feelings associated with the beginning of school. (BB)

Addressed to judges and the legal profession in juvenile justice, this article argues that social attachment theory, particularly parent-child bonding, can be valuable in conceptualizing child abuse and neglect and making decisions about intervention in child abuse and neglect cases. Three categories of deficient parent-child bonds are described…

Presents studies on primates and human infants suggesting that maternal depression may predispose the infant to chronic depression. Findings also suggest that the effect of early separations from the mother may provide a model for reactive depression in the infant. (Author/BB)

Details the author's experiences in helping her adopted four-year-old daughter from Bangladesh cope with the loss of her biological family and her adjustment to a new culture, and offers suggestions for professionals and parents helping young children make similar adjustments. (HOD)

Evaluates a family-based treatment for childhood anxiety. Children (N=79) with separation anxiety, overanxious disorder or social phobia were randomly allocated to three treatment conditions: cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), CBT and family management, or a waiting list. Indicated 69.8% of the children no longer fulfilled diagnostic criteria for…

Used retrospective reports of family-of-origin cohesion, degree of difficulty in separating from family, and other factors to predict depressive symptoms, social anxiety, and perceived social support during the transition to college. Results demonstrate that family-of-origin experiences affect all three aspects of young adults' college adjustment.…

Tested the hypothesis that placement stability for foster children would improve if they received help in resolving separation conflicts with their biological families from a group treatment program under the leadership of the child's caseworker. Important lacks in agency practice were revealed. (BB)

Examined attachments that children form with the same caregiver and those that two caregivers form with a child in communal sleeping and family sleeping kibbutzim. Found concordance among relationships between two caregivers and the same child, as the caregivers model behaviors for each other. Found congruence in two infants' relationships to…

Used adaptation of Attachment Q-Set (AQS) with 24 infant-mother monkey dyads to clarify the secure-base concept. Found that infants of high-ranking monkeys scored higher than those of low-ranking ones, suggesting the origins of the secure-base phenomenon, as well as the importance of exploring infant secure-base behaviors in families of different…

Explores the implications of sibling relationships literature for the foster care placement of young children. Discusses attachments, kinship, socialization, caretaking, and cultural diversity issues along with both intentional and unintentional sibling segregation concerns. (DR)

Explains how art, a nonverbal form of communication, can ease separation anxiety in young children, allowing them to express issues that are important to them. Gives practical tips for teachers to set up an open art area in the classroom and suggested activities include group puzzles and quilts, homemade books, collage art, and puppets. (ET)

This article examines the issue of separation and its impact on military families, including on infants and toddlers. Deployments and unaccompanied tours of duty (temporary assignments and 12-24 month assignments, both without family members, respectively) take military personnel away from their loved ones for extended periods of time. …

Objective: The science fiction film "Invaders From Mars" is used to teach principles of child development; clinical features of separation anxiety and nightmares; and clinical interventions, including child psychotherapy, child protective issues, and crisis management. Methods: Commercial films have been used as teaching aids in child psychiatry…