Inhibited attachment disordered behavior (IADB) is characterized by difficulty in establishing an attachment relationship with a primary caregiver; is associated with persistent social and emotional problems; and is observed most frequently in contexts of pathological care such as institutional rearing. Here, we seek to enhance understanding of the conditions that give rise to IADB among institutionalized children by examining prior family experiences of neglect and deprivation and concurrent relational experiences at the institution. The sample is comprised of 146 children, between 36 and 78 months. IADB was assessed using a semistructured interview administered to the child's primary caregiver. Results revealed that both pre-institutionalization experiences (e.g. parental abandonment) and current relational ones (e.g. low quality of child-caregiver relationship) predicted IADB. Findings are discussed in light of the need to promote conditions which foster the establishment and maintenance of the child's selective attachment to a caregiving figure.ARTICLE HISTORY

Reactive Attachment Disorder (RAD) is presumed to be a consequence of social neglect and deprivation of the kind particularly associated with institutional care. Despite its clinical relevance there is a lack of assessment tools for RAD based on the direct observation of child-caregiver interaction. Here we describe the development and validation of such a tool for use with preschool children, the Rating of Inhibited Attachment Disordered Behavior (RInAB). The RInAB is composed of 17 ratings grouped in three subscales assessing (1) Attachment, (2) Exploratory, and (3) Socioemotional behavior. Participants were 134 institutionalized preschool children (M = 54.84 months; SD = 10.83; 60% boys) and their caregivers. Adequate reliability was found for RInAB subscales and total score. Confirmatory factor analyses documented the three aforementioned RInAB subscales. Correlational analyses documented: (i) construct validity via positive and significant associations with caregiver sensitivity and quality of child-caregiver relationship; (ii) convergence validity via association evidence with some emotionally/withdrawn inhibited items of the Disturbed Attachment Interview (DAI), as well as, with Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL)'s somatic complaints and withdraw syndrome scales; and (iii) discriminant validity via nonsignificant or negative associations with DAI-indiscriminate subscale, Rating of Infant and Stranger Engagement (RISE) and CBCL-externalizing problems. Discussion highlights the contributions complementary roles of RInAB for a comprehensive assessment of child RAD-related functioning.

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