Behavior management training for the treatment of reactive attachment disorder

Abstract

Reactive Attachment Disorder (RAD) is a childhood disorder characterized by extremely inappropriate social relating across a variety of interactions that must be present by age 5. Although children diagnosed with RAD appear to demonstrate significantly more behavioral problems and psychosocial difficulties than children without RAD, there have been few examinations of empirically informed treatments for this disorder. One avenue that may be particularly promising is the use of treatments that have been successfully used to decrease similar problematic behaviors in children. The present case study outlines the use of behavior management training (BMT) in the treatment of a 7-year-old female child with RAD. Given the marked reduction in problematic behaviors exhibited by this child as a result of a typical course of BMT, it is recommended that randomized clinical trials be conducted to test the efficacy of BMT for RAD.

Figure 1. Caregiver Ratings of Child's Disruptive Behaviors Throughout the Course of Treatment