Improved child behavioural and emotional functioning after Circle of Security 20-week intervention

ABSTRACT

This study examined the efficacy of the attachment-based Circle of Security 20-week intervention in improving child behavioural and emotional functioning. Participants were 83 parents of children (1–7 years) referred to a clinical service with concerns about their young children’s behaviour. Parents (and teachers, when available) completed questionnaires assessing child protective factors, behavioural concerns, internalizing and externalizing problems, prior to and immediately after the intervention. The following were considered as potential moderators: child gender and age, parent representations, reflective functioning, child attachment indices and severity of presenting problems, prior to treatment. Results showed significant improvement for parent ratings of child protective factors, behavioural concerns, internalizing and externalizing symptoms, all ps < .05, and children with more severe problems showed most improvement. Teachers also reported improvements, but change was significant only for externalizing problems (p = .030). Findings suggest Circle of Security is effective in improving child behavioural and emotional functioning in clinically referred children aged 1–7 years.

KEYWORDS:

• Circle of Security
• child behavioural and emotional problems
• child protective factors
• parent–child relationship
• attachment-based intervention

Acknowledgements

We wish to thank our collaborators, Marymead Child and Family Centre, staff of the Centre for Early Life Matters for their invaluable assistance in collecting the data, and all families who participated in the Circle of Security intervention who agreed to use of their data for research purposes. We would also like to thank all coders for their timely work.

ORCID

Anna Huber http://orcid.org/0000-0002-5475-9528

Notes

1. All primary caregivers are referred to as “parents”, and caregivers outside the home (childcare workers, preschool and school teachers) are referred to as “teachers”.

Additional information

Funding

This research was supported by ACT Health and Medical Research Council with a research development grant (2010-11); Australian Government Department of Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs with a Child Aware grant (2012) from to Marymead Child and Family Centre, Canberra, Australia.