Model of Maltreatment Explain pattern of occurrences and non- occurrences of maltreatment Describe process by which maltreatment is transmitted from one person to another

Thesis Insecure attachment is a critical concept in regard to both the origin of family maltreatment and the rehabilitation of families.

Attachment Theory Postulates Attachment relationships important for individual functioning at all ages Primary function of attachment relationships to promote protection and survival of young Individual’s actual behavior determined by interplay of situational factors and previous experience with similar situations

Attachment Theory Postulates Patterns of attachment behavior affect direction of children’s developmental course Effect of IWM is to change behavior in way that makes current attachments more stressful and future attachments less likely to be secure Attachment problems defined in terms of how successful relationship is in providing sufficient security such that person freed to attend to others aspects of lives

Internal Working Models Abusing Mother: model of others tied to issues of conflict, control and rejection self-perception involves coercion and victimization accompanying affect: anger

Internal Working Models Neglecting Mother model of others center around concept of hopelessness self-perception: ineffective accompanying affect: emptiness and depression

Internal Working Models Adequate Mothers model of others centers around ideas of competence and reciprocity self-perception: capable of getting support and providing support to others accompanying affect: satisfaction

Hypothesis 1:Insecure Attachments Individuals in maltreating families expected to form insecure attachments with family members child to parent parent to own parents, partners, children distorted internal representational models underlie insecure attachments

Hypothesis 2: Internal Conflict It is hypothesized that insecure attachments will be associated with conflicting impulses within the individual that might lead to behavior otherwise considered paradoxical.

Hypothesis 3: Coping with Parents Different types of maltreatment will be associated with different organizations of child behavior relevant to the children’s interaction with a parent.

Hypothesis 4: Coping with the Environment Styles of interpersonal behavior will be related to the effectiveness of the children’s exploration of their environment.

Hypothesis 5: Niche Picking Behavior patterns of family members and attachment relationships would be expected to affect other aspects of their social ecology, such as social networks, employment, and, for the children, school experiences.

Hypothesis 6: Adaptation Children’s patterns of behavior would be predicted to be adaptive in the immediate sense of promoting immediate survival while being maladaptive in the long run in the sense of personal mental health.