Attachment in Intellectual and Developmental Disability

Book excerpt: Attachment in Intellectual and Developmental Disability “Skillfully introduced and edited by Helen Fletcher and her colleagues, this long-needed collection of excellent chapters on attachment and disability reveals the vast wellspring of resilience that persons with disability possess – or can be helped to achieve. Readers will discover how best to support a family member, client or friend with a ‘disability’. A definitive resource for multiple disciplines, this book is surely required reading for all those working in the health professions aimed at addressing the needs of those with severe physical, mental or emotional impairments.” Professor Howard Steele, New School for Social Research “This informative, comprehensive text is unique, and is destined to become an invaluable national and international resource on attachment issues in the field of intellectual and developmental disabilities. Given the breadth and depth of this book, practitioners can use it both as a guide in practice and as a resource for research purposes. Both the editors and contributors are to be congratulated for introducing attachment theory to a wider audience, who will all, I am sure, appreciate the centrality and importance of this theoretical framework to their everyday practice.” Professor Bob Gates, University of West London This title in The Wiley Series in Clinical Psychology is the first to explore the role of attachment theory in understanding and helping children and adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). There is a growing evidence base of interventions for IDD underpinned by attachment theory, including direct intervention and the application of attachment theory to understand the interactions and relationships that occur between individuals with IDD and those who support them. Attachment in Intellectual and Developmental Disability brings together leading clinicians and researchers to present and integrate cutting-edge models and approaches that have previously been accessible only to specialists. They discuss the role of attachment theory in clinical practice when working across the lifespan of people with IDD, the theoretical basis of attachment difficulties, and how these difficulties are presented. They also discuss practical approaches to assessment and intervention, using clear case studies to illustrate the applications of attachment theory to clinical work.