Study finds Developmental Delays among children with RAD

The Center's study, "Effects of Early Maltreatment on Development: A Descriptive study using the Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scales-II." has been accepted for publication in a prestigious professional journal and will be in print this summer. The study found the following:
Children with histories of chronic early maltreatment within a care-giving relationship, Complex Trauma, or Developmental Trauma, suffer from a variety of deficits in many domains. This study explored the effects of Complex Trauma on development, as measured by the Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scales-II. This is the first descriptive study to report on the large discrepancies between chronological and developmental ages in adopted and foster children. This study found that adopted and foster children with a psychiatric diagnosis of Reactive Attachment Disorder show developmental delays in several areas. Adaptive behavior and developmental age in the Communication, Daily Living Skills, and Socialization domains was, on average, significantly below the average chronological age of the 57 children in this study. Among children in this study, the average Adaptive Behavior Composite score yielded an age equivalency or developmental age of four years four months, while the average chronological age was nine years ten months.

The article describes the implications of these findings for psychotherapy, parenting, child-welfare policy, and educational settings.

As soon as the article is published I will post information on how to get a reprint.

Article about Dyadic Developmental Psychotherapy

A very nice summary about Dyadic Developmental Psychotherapy, which is an evidence-based and effective treatment for trauma and attachment disorders can be found at
http://psychology.wikia.com/wiki/Dyadic_Developmental_Psychotherapy

While most Wiki's, especially Wikipedia, are not reliable sources of information since articles and subjects can be taken over by zealots with one or another bias or ax to grind, the Psychology wiki encourages people to register and use their real professional identity and the articles are pretty well vetted.

Training

The new Dyadic Developmental Psychotherapy Institute is off to a great start. The Institute will certify therapist, consultants, and trainers in Dyadic Developmental Psychotherapy. The use of the term Dyadic Developmental Psychotherapy and related terms, such as stating that one is a Dyadic Developmental Psychotherapy therapist are now protected. This will help ensure integrity to the model, which now has a firm evidence and empirical basis demonstrating its effectiveness.