Attachment disorders versus more common problems in looked after and adopted children: comparing community and expert assessments. Issue 1 (22nd January 2014)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Woolgar, Matt; Baldock, Emma
• Is Part Of: Child and adolescent mental health. Volume 20:Issue 1(2015:Feb.)
• Page Start: 34
• Page End: 40
• Publication Date: 2014-01-22
• Subjects: Adolescent psychology -- Periodicals; Child mental health -- Periodicals; Child psychiatry -- Periodicals; Child psychology -- Periodicals; Teenagers -- Mental health -- Periodicals; 155.405
• DOI: 10.1111/camh.12052
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1475-357X

Abstract

<abstract abstract-type="main" id="camh12052-abs-0001"> <title> <x xml:space="preserve">Abstract</x> </title> <sec id="camh12052-sec-0001" sec-type="section"> <title>Background</title> <p>Attachment disorders in adopted and fostered children may be overdiagnosed and could obscure more common disorders.</p> </sec> <sec id="camh12052-sec-0002" sec-type="section"> <title>Methods</title> <p>A case note review of 100 referrals to a specialist adoption and fostering service compared community referrals with the specialist assessments of attachment disorders.</p> </sec> <sec id="camh12052-sec-0003" sec-type="section"> <title>Results</title> <p>Attachment disorders were identified four times more often in community referrals versus the specialist service, but this only partly explained the significant under‐identification of more common disorders in the community, especially for neurodevelopmental factors and conduct disorder by up to 10‐fold.</p> </sec> <sec id="camh12052-sec-0004" sec-type="section"> <title>Conclusions</title> <p>The relevant practice parameters are discussed and implications for service models for adopted and fostered children reviewed.</p> </sec> </abstract>