Abstract

This work aims to review our knowledge about the definition of attachment disorders, the assessment methods and the treatment techniques. From a descriptive point of view, the diagnostic manuals identify the Reactive Attachment Disorder (RAD), as a disorder characterized by an anomalous social behaviour of the child and they make a distinction between two types of this disorder: the inhibited one and the disinhibited one. From a theoretical point of view, we want to give a description of the causal factors connected to this disorder through an overview of works realized studying children with experiences of severe deprivation. From a clinical perspective, we will consider a complex definition of attachment disorders, taking into account both the individual and the quality of the relation between the child and his/her caregiver.