Links Between Reactive Attachment Disorder, Caregiving and Temperament: A Differential Susceptibility Perspective

Abstract

The links between Reactive Attachment Disorder (RAD) and temperament received relatively little research attention, in spite of their clinical and social relevance. Children with RAD sustain disproportionate burdens of early adversity related to their caregiving environment. However, there seem to be important individual differences in susceptibility to adversity, since only a small number of children show signs of RAD. Based on the work of Zeanah and Fox, this review aims to bring new insights to this relevant clinical issue in light of recent research. A differential susceptibility hypothesis will be considered as a promising and innovative approach toward a further understanding of the links between temperament and RAD.

Keywords:

• Attachment
• caregiving
• differential susceptibility
• Reactive Attachment Disorder (RAD)
• temperament

Additional information

Funding

This research was conducted at Psychology Research Centre (UID/PSI/01662/2013), University of Minho, and supported in part by the Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia through national funds, under grant PTDC/PSI-PCL/101506/2008, PTDC/PSI-PCL/116897/2010 and grant SFRH/BD/87495/2012, and co-financed by the European Regional Development Fund (FEDER) through COMPETE2020 under the PT2020 Partnership Agreement (POCI-01-0145-FEDER-007653).

Notes on contributors

Raquel Corval

Raquel Corval is a researcher at the Psychology Research at the University of Minho, currently finishing her PhD on the attachment disorders field.

Ana Mesquita

Ana Mesquita is a principal investigator at the Psychological Neurosciences Laboratory (University of Minho). Her research interests have focused on the neurobiological impact of early life stress, addressing the contribution of genetic and contextual factors for children socio-emotional development.

Isabel Soares

Isabel Soares is a full professor at School of Psychology (University of Minho) leading a research team focused on attachment and development in high-risk groups of families and children, using a multi-level approach involving the links between genes, brain, and behavior.