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Repetitive Lines

TRAUMA & ATTACHMENT

Child Attachment and Play Assessment (CAPA) - The Child Attachment and Play Assessment (CAPA): Attachment and exploration are closely related behavioural systems. One way of activating both systems in children is the use of narrative story stems-a doll-play procedure in which the adult gives the child the beginning of a story (the stem) and asks them to finish it by “telling and showing me what happens next.” This paper presents the Child Attachment and Play Assessment (CAPA)-a new system for analysing story stems with preschool (age 3-6 years) and school-age children (7-11 years).

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The Marschak Interaction Method - The Marschak Interaction Method (MIM) is a structured technique for observing and assessing the overall quality and nature of relationships between caregivers and child. It consists of a series of simple tasks designed to elicit behaviours in four primary dimensions in order to evaluate the caregivers’ capacity to:

  • Set and provide an appropriately ordered environment (Structure)

  • Engage the child in interaction while being attuned to the child’s state (Engagement)

  • Meet the child’s needs for attention, soothing and care (Nurture)

  • Support and encourage the child’s efforts to achieve at a developmentally appropriate level (Challenge) and the child’s ability to respond to the caregivers’ efforts
     

Meaning Of The Child (MoTC) -  The Meaning of the Child Interview (MotC) is a method of understanding the parent-child relationship though evaluating the way parents think about their child.  It makes use of a semi-structured interview in which parents talk about their child, their relationship with their child, and their parenting, which is then carefully analysed using a manualised system. The concept of the Meaning of the Child was developed by applying attachment theory and research on adult discourse (patterns of speaking about relationships) to the insights of Reder and Duncan (see 1995, 1999), whose seminal studies in the 1990’s of fatal child abuse highlighted the importance of attending to the particular psychological meaning that a child has for his or her parent(s).

                                                                                                   

Sensory–Attachment Intervention (SAI) – The SAI assessment or evaluation block will incorporate the SAI approach. Sensory Attachment Intervention is a treatment approach for children and adults who have suffered early life trauma.  It was developed by Occupational Therapist Eadaoin Bhreathnach and aims to “enable parents and children to learn the art of self-regulation through the use of sensory and engagement strategies”. (Bhreathnach 2013). Please see our Trauma, Attachment & Post Adoption support tab for more information on our ‘specialist assessments’. With the SAI model there are numerous assessment tools including the SAAP (Sensory Arousal state, Attachment and Physiological Profile).

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