Developing Emotional Security Among Children Who Have Been Adopted

This study investigated the development of emotional security among 6-10 year old children who have been adopted by exposing them to an experimental condition during which they could engage with either a live dog or a robotic dog. The live dog was a certified therapy dog; the robotic dog was a FurReal® toy marketed by Hasbro as "Biscuit." Utilizing a mixed-method embedded experimental design, the experimental condition was intentionally structured to promote engagement between the participant and the dog or robot. 43 children who had been adopted from the child welfare system were randomly assigned to one of two groups. One group was exposed to a therapy dog (n=22), while another was exposed to the social robotic dog (n=21). The development of emotional security was targeted for measurement in this study using the "Reading the Mind in the Eyes Test," a test of social understanding that has been linked in the literature to oxytocin- a hormone premised to be a marker of the development of emotional security. Physiological anxiety was also measured as an indicator of emotional security using the Revised Child Manifest Anxiety Scale-2 (RCMAS-2). Both measures were administered before and after exposure to the experimental condition. A linear mixed-effect regression analysis showed that for boys only, there was a significant effect of engagement with either companion on social understanding (p<.01). Social understanding decreased as engagement increased. A second model indicated that for boys only, their history of animal cruelty had a significant effect on physiological anxiety (p<.05). If boys had an animal cruelty history, their anxiety was reduced after the exposure to either the dog or robot. Interpretations of the findings suggest that there are differences among children who have been adopted and have a history of animal cruelty that differentially influences their development of emotional security. Social work interventions designed for practice with children who have been adopted will need to assess the presence of these variations and develop appropriate treatment protocols.

A Qualitative Study on Successful African American Marriages on How They Create and Repair Attachment Injuries Using Emotional Skillfulness.

The purpose of this phenomenological study was to describe the meanings that Ossie Davis and Ruby Dee Davis attribute to how they have adapted to their marriage and overcame conflict over the years. A purposive sample of this well-known African American married couple, who self-identified as being in a long-term, successful marriage, was used. The subjects of study were married for 56 years. An analysis using Colaizzi's (1978) method revealed 2 themes, with 13 and 2 subthemes respectively. The themes that emerged from the analysis of the formulated meanings were: (1) secrets to a successful marriage; and (2) sources of conflict in marriage. Secrets to a successful marriage included 13 subthemes: (a) egalitarian roles; (b) commitment; (c) forgiveness; (d) communication; (e) love; (f) honesty; (g) understanding the struggles of Black males and females; (h) friendship; (i) religion/ support from God; (j) compromise; (k) beliefs that marriage is a process; (l) emotional availability of spouse; and (m) feelings of security. In addition, the theme sources of conflict in marriage had two subthemes: (a) different decision making styles; and (b) experiences of abandonment. These findings provided insight from this couple's perspective on the secrets to a successful marriage and the ways in which they managed to make their marriage work, in light of the unique challenges that face African American marriages.

Weight-Based Emotional Abuse: Self Psychological Implications for Treatment

The aim of this paper is to provide evidence that overweight individuals are at increased risk for emotional abuse compared to their normal weight counterparts. Studies examining weight-based discrimination and bullying demonstrate examples of emotional abuse aimed at overweight individuals. The psychological difficulties associated with emotional abuse, such as symptoms of anxiety, depression and social difficulties, are reviewed. It is hypothesized that similar psychological difficulties are experienced when obese persons experience weight based emotional abuse. A self psychological conceptualization is applied to understand the effect emotional abuse has on one's sense of self. A treatment proposal, which aims to utilize self-object transferences to strengthen the self, is offered. Future research for the application of self psychology in a group therapy format is discussed.

The Relationships Between Child Maltreatment and Exploratory Behavior Implications for Development.

Findings from the fields of attachment theory, physiology, neurology, neurobiology and cognitive theory, when considered together, enhance understanding of the behavior and development of maltreated children. Each field describes from its own vantage how emotional trauma influences the quality and quantity of exploratory behavior. Development in many spheres is influemced by behavior. There is evidence from the field of neurobiology that experience ultimately influences the anatomy of the brain. Therefore, it can be hypothesized that constricted, overly defensive behavior in childhood ultimately compromises the development of the central nervous system itself. The altered neurobiology may help explain some of the developmental delays and failures seen in some maltreated children. Such developmental disruptions may include lowered intellectual performance, impaired ability to learn from experience, behavioral regressions under stress, and characterological abnormalities. This neurobiologic hypothesis has implications for research, intervention and training of professionals.It encourages 1) the identification of those deficit capacities most vulnerable to becoming neurologically based, 2) identification of ways to help the maltreated child explore and be accessible to developmental experiences, 3) more emphasis on the development of cognitive capacities, and 4) more breadth of training for professionals who work with maltreated children and their families.