Attachment and Family Systems
Dr. Kristýna Bušková
Attachment and Family Systems

Course Description:

This as an English taught course in attachment and family systems, aimed at familiarizing students with the Dynamic Maturational Model of attachment and adaptation (DMM) and its application (together with general principles of the attachment theory) to clinical diagnostics, individual and couple’s psychotherapy as well as family systems and family pathology. Students will gain an understanding of the DMM theory and its practical applications through clinical case studies, research studies and the DMM assessment methods. Finally, the attachment perspective as an alternative model of mental illness, as proposed by the DMM school of attachment (Crittenden, 2008) to the DSM diagnostic manual will be discussed.

Learning Outcomes:

  • Understanding of the development of attachment strategies in different developmental stages and pathologies related to each.
  • Understanding of the development of attachment strategies as a result of the dynamic interaction of a child with care-givers, family systems and the child’s maturing brain.
  • Understanding of the influence of attachment strategies on communication dynamics in individual relationships and family dynamics and acquiring the ability to use this functionally in therapy.
  • Acquiring the ability to apply attachment perspective to functional case formulation and therapy
  • Acquiring the ability to clinically assess the difference between normative and clinical attachment strategies
  • Understanding attachment strategies in relation to specific pathologies (ADHD, trauma, eating disorders, BPD, addictions, depression)
  • Continued development of reflective capacity and critical thinking skills

 Prerequisite:

 It is expected from students to be familiar with basic tenets of attachment theory.

Who is the course for:

Master’s students in psychology (full-time), ERASMUS students

Lecturer:

Dr Kristýna Bušková

E-mail: Kristyna@city-practice.com

Tutorial: By appointment

 Guarantor:

Assoc. Prof. Lenka Lacinova

Schedule:

There will be four lectures (L), each consisting of four hours. Dates are as follows:

L1 Friday 20 March 2020 (cancelled due to the study leave)

L2 Friday 3 April 2020 (cancelled due to the study leave)

L3 Friday 17 April 2020

L4 Friday 15 May 2020


Required Readings:

 Crittenden, P.; Dallos, D; Landini, A & Kozlowska, K. (2014). Attachment and Family Therapy. Open University Press.

Selected chapters from:  Critten, P.; & Landini, A. (2011). Assessing Adult Attachment: A dynamic-maturational approach to discourse analysis. Norton Professional Book. 

Selected chapters from Dallos, Rudi (2006) Attachment Narrative Therapy: Integrating Systemic, Narrative, and Attachment Approaches.  Open University Press.

Recommended Readings:

Gerhardt, Sue (2011) The Selfish Society: How We All Forgot to Love One Another and Made Money Instead. Simon & Schuster.

Gerhardt, Sue (2014) Why Love Matters: How affection shapes a Baby’s brain. Routledge.  

Howe, David (2011). Attachment across the Lifecourse: A brief Introduction. Palgrave Mc Millan.

Pietromonaco, P., & Barrett, L.F. (2000) The internal working models. What do we really know about self in relation to others. Review of General Psychology, 4, 155-175.

Pleshkova & Muhamdrahimov (2010) Quality of Attachment in St. Petersburg. A sample of family reared infants. Clinical Child Psychol Psychiatry, 15, 355 – 362.

Van lJzendoorn, M.H., & Sagi-Schwarz (2008) Cross-cultural Patterns of Attachment: Universal and Contextual Dimensions. In J. Cassidi, & P. Shaver: Handbook of attachment, second edition. New York: Guilford Publications. 

Requirements for successful completion of the course (for earning “zápočet”):

1.    Active participation in class  (will be modified according to the situation)

2.    Group presentation of a functional case formulation

 

The presentation should include the following:

-      identification of key issues

-      functional formulation of identified issues using attachment systemic perspective (including the DMM concepts)

-      identification of potential pitfalls (points of risk of misdiagnosis/ misformulation)

-      suggestion of psychotherapeutic approach

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