CUA. National Catholic School of Social Service Washington, DC Fax

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1 CUA THE CATHOLIC UNIVERSITY OF AMERICA National Catholic School of Social Service Washington, DC Fax SSS 548 Attachment Theory: Implications for Social Work Policy, Practice, and Research Fall 2008 (1 credit) This course outline is the property of NCSSS and the instructor and may be distributed with written permission I. COURSE PURPOSE This course provides an introduction to the conceptual framework of attachment theory as it pertains to new directions in social work policy, practice, research, and social justice. It describes the evolution of the theory from the work of Bowlby, Ainsworth, Main, and others. Presented are the implications of attachment research for development across the life span, as well as the usefulness of attachment theory and research in the prevention and treatment of psychosocial disorders in individuals, families, communities and society. Aggression and criminal behavior are understood as failure to develop reflective functioning or mentalization, characteristics of attachment patterns. Special emphasis is placed on the prevention of child maltreatment. II. EDUCATIONAL OBJECTIVES The following educational objectives will be pursued through assigned readings, lectures, class discussions, videos, and a written assignment: 1. Gain understanding of the historical context of attachment theory as traced from the works on imprinting by Konrad Lorenz to John Bowlby s view of attachment as an evolutionary, universal, and motivational system. 2. Become familiar with the infant s emotional experience during the first year of life and with the psychosocial states associated with disruption of attachment in the first three years of life.

2 2 3. Appreciate the continuity of attachment and the metaphor of the internal working model, both of which presume an ongoing interplay among emotion, cognition, and behavior in personality development throughout the life span. 4. Become familiar with pertinent facts about crime from the perspective of the social institutions of community, school, gangs, and the family, and the research correlating attachment patterns and sociopathy. III. COURSE REQUIREMENTS A. Required Texts [additional required readings are in e-journals] Bowlby, J. (1988). A secure base. NY: Basic Books. [Referred to as Bowlby in syllabus] Goldberg, S., Muir, R. & Kerr, J. (Eds.) (2000). Attachment theory: Social, developmental, and clinical perspectives. Hillsdale, NJ: The Analytic Press. [Referred to as Goldberg in syllabus] B. Recommended Texts [on reserve in the library] Cassidy, J., & Shaver, P. (Eds.) (1999). Handbook of attachment: Theory, research and clinical applications. NY: Guilford Press. [Referred to as Cassidy in syllabus] Grossman, K., Grossman, K., & Waters, E. (Eds.) (2005). Attachment from infancy to adulthood: The major longitudinal studies. NY: Guilford. [Referred to as Grossman in syllabus] Rholes, S., & Simpson, J. (Eds.) (2004). Adult attachment: Theory, research and clinical implications. NY: Guilford Press. [Referred to as Rholes in syllabus] C. Other Recommended Resources Journal: Websites: Attachment & Human Behavior D. Course Assignments

3 3 1. Paper Due the Monday after Class 4 Attachment theory is the most highly researched theory of human behavior, and a wealth of new research is published each year analyzing attachment processes. For this 6-7 page paper, select a confined area of study and thoroughly read and critique a minimum of 6 journal articles selected beyond readings in the syllabus. These articles must be on recent ( ) attachment research as it pertains to one of the following areas of study: (1) infant and/or early child development, (2) adolescent development, (3) adult development, (4) adult romantic relationships, (5) adult or child psychopathology, (6) cross-cultural issues, (7) clinical practice, or (8) child maltreatment and/or child welfare. Restrict your journal articles to your topic. The paper should be a summary and critique of the articles, including implications for practice (focus on what you ve learned that is new and beyond the class discussions) The paper will be graded as follows: explanation of the research (30%), critique of the research (25%), implications for practice and/or policy, and recommendations for future research (30%), writing style and use of correct APA formatting (15%). Please make copies of your articles and submit them with your final paper. 2. Attendance and Class Participation Students are expected to attend all four classes and to participate actively and meaningfully in class discussions. If you miss a class, you must prepare a written summary of the readings for that day. There will be oral presentations of selected readings, and contributions from field placement experiences are expected and welcomed. E. Grading Policy Research Paper 70% Attendance and Class Participation 30% F. Course and Instructor Evaluation NCSSS requires electronic evaluation of this course and the instructor. At the end of the semester, the evaluation form may be accessed at using your CUA username and password. Additional, informal written or verbal feedback to the instructor during the semester is encouraged and attempts will be made to respond to requests. IV. CLASS EXPECTATIONS

4 4 A. Scholastic Expectations Please refer to NCSSS Announcements, or appropriate Program Handbook for Academic Requirements, including scholastic and behavioral requirements. All written work should reflect the original thinking of the writer, cite references where material is quoted or adapted from existing sources, adhere to APA format, and should be carefully proof read by the student before submission to the instructor for grading. B. Academic Honesty Joining the community of scholars at CUA entails accepting the standards, living by those standards, and upholding them. Please refer to University Policy and appropriate Program Handbooks. C. Accommodations Students with physical, learning, psychological or other disabilities wishing to request accommodations must identify with the Disability Support Services (DSS) and submit documentation of a disability. If you have documented such a disability to DSS that requires accommodations or an academic adjustment, please arrange a meeting with the instructor as soon as possible to discuss these accommodations. CLASS SCHEDULE Class Topics and Readings 1 The Evolution of Attachment Theory Bretherton, I. (2000). The origins of attachment theory: John Bowlby and Mary Ainsworth. In Goldberg, chapter 3. Bowlby, pp. 1-38, Hinde, R. (2005). Ethology and attachment theory. In Grossman, chapter 1. Cassidy, J. (1999). The nature of the child s ties. In Cassidy, chapter 1. Sroufe, A. (2000). Early relationships and the development of children. Infant Mental Health Journal, 21(1-2), pp From the Strange Situation to the Adult Attachment Interview and Beyond

5 5 Bowlby, pp Goldberg, S. (2000). Introduction. In Goldberg, Introduction. Sroufe, A., Egeland, B., Carlson, E., & Collins, A. (2005). Placing early attachment experiences in developmental context: The Minnesota longitudinal study. In Grossman, chapter 3. Main, M. (2000). Recent studies in attachment. In Goldberg, chapter 14. Hesse, E. (1999). The adult attachment interview: Historical and current perspectives. In Cassidy, chapter Psychopathology, Family Violence, and Criminality Bowlby, pp Cicchetti, D., & Toth, S. (2000). Child maltreatment and attachment organization: Implications for intervention. In Goldberg, chapter 10. Fonagy, P., Steele, M., Steele, H., Leigh, T., Kennedy, R., Mattoon, G., & Target, M. (2000). Attachment, the reflective self, and borderline states: The predictive specificity of the adult attachment interview and pathological emotional development. In Goldberg, chapter 9. Adam, K., Keller, A. S., & West, M. (2000). Attachment organization and vulnerability to loss, separation, and abuse in disturbed adolescents. In Goldberg, chapter 11. Dozier, M., Stovall, C., & Albus, K. (1999). Attachment and psychopathology in adulthood. In Cassidy, chapter 22. Kobak, R., Cassidy, J., & Zir, Y. (2004). Attachment-related trauma and posttraumatic stress disorder: Implications for adult adaptation. In Rholes, chapter 13.

6 6 Lyons-Ruth, K., & Jacobvitz, D. (1999). Attachment disorganization: Unresolved loss, relational violence, and lapses in behavioral and attentional strategies. In Cassidy, chapter Social Policy and Public Planning Bowlby, pp Haight, W., Kagle, L., Donner, J., & Black, J. (Eds.). (2003). Understanding and supporting parent-child visits: Attachment theory and research. Social Work, 48(2), pp Gauthier, Y., Fortin, G., & Jeliu, G. (2004). Clinical application of attachment theory in permanency planning for children in foster care: The importance of continuity of care. Infant Mental Health Journal, 25(4), pp Rutter, M., & O Connor, T. (1999). Implications of attachment theory for child care policies. In Cassidy, chapter 36. Paper Assignment due the Monday after Class 4