Journal of Child and Adolescent Behavior
Open Access

Abstract

Attachment relationships are the major environmental factors that shape brain development for the infant and young child during its period of maximal growth. Reluctant aspects of the neurobiology of this situation, the critical period of overproduction of synapses is genetically determined; the pruning and maintenance of synaptic connections are environmentally driven. Repeated and expectable patterns of interpersonal connection between a child and an attachment figure are necessary for proper development. There are always times of disconnection. In each of the forms of insecure attachment, there is a problem with connection and repair. During all kind of psychotherapy, attachment system is activated. Mentalization and integration are two important processes that are supposed to repair attachment system, defined by some authors. In this article, besides attachment and psychopathology, attachment system and its role in psychotherapeutic processes are discussed in the light of scrutinized literature collected from different sources including PubMed. Finally this literature, a comprehensive literature review of the most current research in child and adolescent attachment, as well as clinical and therapeutic implications for psychotherapists recognizes the significance of the therapeutic dyad when working with children and adolescents.

Biography

Ebru Ozlem Albayrak has completed his PhD at Marmara University in Istanbul and Post-doctoral studies at Bakirköy Mental Training and Research Hospital in Istanbul. She is the Director of Ludens Psychiatry Clinic. She has published more than 10 papers in reputed journals especially on anxiety and mood disorders.