The Crew - Miss Fabulous, Lil Bro, Big Sis and Mr. Man

Tuesday, October 13, 2009

Attachment Disorder, 4 Sub-Types


Please check out Jeri's blog.  This information was stolen borrowed from her blog.

We have been at this healing process with our little daughter for a while now. We have been privileged to great professionals who have truly supported our family and our daughter. But this information so well defined all that our daughter's RAD encompasses.

4 Sub-Types of Attachment Disorder:

Isolated (formerly called Avoidant) Sub-Type
Have no friends and don't care about that
avoid close relationships
think they can take care of themselves and don't need others
avoid touch
can become explosive if touch is forced on them
passive/aggressive (say they'll complete a chore or homework but won't or won't turn it in)
extremely controlling
argue constantly (though may mutter their remarks)
Seldom openly destructive or violent
Seldom invent false tales of abuse


The Evasive (Anxious) Sub-Type
preference for being close to others (Velcro) due to fears of abandonment
extremely superficially charming
unable to keep friends because they don't "get" give and take in relationships
chatter
intrude on adult space
have a chameleon persona depending on who they're with
think no one can accept them for themselves
aren't usually a behavior problem at school
do try to triangulate their teacher against their parents
constant false allegations of abuse
"mom shoppers"
pathological liars extraordinaire
need massive amounts of attention for every illness or injury
extremely passive/aggressive
seldom cruel to children or animals
seldom destructive

The Defiant (formerly called Ambivalent) Sub-Type
openly oppositional, defiant and raging
argue non-stop
cruel to animals and other children
dangerous/destructive behavior
charming with others on the surface in order to take advantage of them
poorly controlled rage
commonly physically and/or sexually abuse other family members
very destructive
set fires or are obsessed with fire
obsessed with gore
more likely to be living in an out of home placement
invent false tales of abuse
many behavior problems at school
one third of these are psychopaths
easiest children to treat in intensive attachment therapy (except the psychopaths)
honest about what they're thinking and feeling


The Psychotic (formerly called Disorganized) Sub-Type

often have neurological impairment
low average to borderline intelligence
may also have learning disabilities
may have sensory issues
easy to miss this type without a Rorschach Inkblot test
do seem to have a primitive sense of conscience (will apologize but will repeat the behavior)
friends will almost always be 2 to 3 years younger or have some type of issues as well
talk/hum/sing to themselves all day due to overwhelming anxiety
chatter in a random way
involve themselves in dangerous, destructive behavior especially if triggered traumatic memories arise
impulsive to the max
may invent false abuse allegations
one of the other three sub-types will underlie the psychotic
respond well to intensive attachment therapy but only if stabilized on anti-psychotic medication first.

The New and Improved Children Who Shock and Surprise: A Guide to Attachment Disorders by Elizabeth Randolph, MSN,PhD

From Jeri's blog, "She also recommends we use two elements: surprise and humor. This book has less than 60 pages,yet it is a goldmine for clear lay-person reading. Don't worry Mike, I'm almost done and it will come back to you, thanks for sharing."

(art work by Robert David Bretz)

2 comments:

Jeri said...

Thanks for linking to my blog...feel free to steal, it's all to the good. Sadly, I see my son in three out of the four sub-types. oy

Pineapple Princess said...

Wow! Super post. I find all of it so important to know because our daughter lived in an orphanage for her first 8 months.