The Circle of Security project: Attachment-based intervention with caregiver-pre-school child dyads

Abstract

The Circle of Security intervention protocol is a 20-week, group-based, parent education and psychotherapy intervention designed to shift patterns of attachment-caregiving interactions in high-risk caregiver-child dyads to a more appropriate developmental pathway. All phases of the protocol, including the pre- and post-intervention assessments, and the intervention itself, are based on attachment theory and procedures, current research on early relationships, and object relations theory. Using edited videotapes of their interactions with their children, caregivers are encouraged: 1. to increase their sensitivity and appropriate responsiveness to the child's signals relevant to its moving away from to explore, and its moving back for comfort and soothing; 2. to increase their ability to reflect on their own and the child's behavior, thoughts and feelings regarding their attachment-caregiving interactions; and 3. to reflect on experiences in their own histories that affect their current caregiving patterns. In this paper we describe the conceptual background of the protocol, and the protocol itself. We then present a case study from our current data set of 75 dyads who have completed the protocol.

Preschool is a sensitive period for the influence of maternal support on the trajectory of hippocampal development

“…Therefore, the identification of modifiable environmental exposures that can impact the development of the hippocampus and in turn later emotion functioning is a finding of key public health importance. These findings should inform prevention and early intervention strategies, a number of which have been designed and shown to effectively enhance maternal support (25)(26)(27).…”

Do toddlers prefer the primary caregiver or the parent with whom they feel more secure? The role of toddler emotion

“…Finding that toddlers did not prefer parents with whom they were securely attached does not lessen the importance of attachment but rather highlights the importance of attachment-based interventions, which have been a growing area of interest recently (e.g., Dozier, 2003;Marvin, Cooper, Hoffman, & Powell, 2002). Because children prefer to seek comfort from their primary caregiver regardless of the presence of other caregivers, it is important to guide the primary caregiver as to how to sensitively meet their children's needs.…”

The efficacy of circle of security on attachment and well-being in preschool children

“…Children received an animal doll in the last session. Experimental group received 20 weekly COS sessions (see Marvin et al, 2002) in the center of preschool. Assessment of intervention effectiveness was based on measuring child attachment with Q-set and wellbeing child with PCWQ at 2 weeks prior to intervention and again approximately 10 days following the completion of the 20 -week intervention.…”

“…The intervention involves small (N=6) groups of toddlers or pre-scholars, who meet as a group with a psychotherapist an hour and a quarter each week. All phases of the COS are based on attachment theory and procedures, current research on early relationships, and object relations theory (Marvin et al, 2002). Especially important among these are the ideas of emotion regulation, interactive synchrony, and states of mind regarding attachments and intimate relationships, affect, states of consciousness, perspectives, and reflective functioning.…”