The phenomenon of autism seems to fascinate society as it becomes more widely known, but unfortunately its significance is often completely misunderstood. Reactions to the topic are often monosyllabic. Along with the symptoms come interesting ideas: people with autistic disability live in their "own world," they have no feelings or social interest, and they are also geniuses. This work is concerned, among other things, with clearing up these false "facts".
The main part of this thesis can be divided into three parts: first the topic of autism is dealt with, then that of attachment and finally attachment behavior in people with autism. This bachelor thesis does not only serve to enlighten about autism, i.e. to describe the development of autism research and the symptomatology, but also to dedicate a special aspect: the assumption that people with autistic disabilities have no social interest and do not develop emotions.
In order to examine this aspect more closely, the time of early childhood will be addressed, the age at which the person forms his first attachments. It will be attempted to get to the bottom of the cause and purpose of attachment, the theory of attachment, the phases and forms that attachment goes through and takes on, as well as which factors promote stable attachment behavior.
However, the questions that this bachelor thesis ultimately addresses are: Can all people form attachments in principle? If so, how do they manifest themselves in disabled children, especially in children with autistic disabilities? Are there any special features and if so, what are they due to? A special role in answering these questions will be played by the "Dynamic Maturation Model of Attachment and Adaptation" according to Dr. Patricia Crittenden.
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
2. Autism
2.1. The pioneers of autism research
2.1.1. Hans Asperger
2.1.2. Leo Kanner
2.2. Autism today – the symptomatology
2.3. Perceptual peculiarities
2.3.1. Seeing
2.3.2. Listening
3. First binding
3.1. The bonding theory according to John Bowlby
3.2. The "Foreign Situation" according to Ainsworth and Wittig
3.2.1. The 4 binding types
3.2.2. Cause and purpose of the development of a binding system
3.2.3. Attachment behaviour in disabled children
3.2.3.1. Resilience and vulnerability in children at risk
3.2.4. Mother-child bonding in interaction with a disabled child
3.3. Initial conclusions
4. Autistics and attachment - explained at the "DMM" according to Crittenden
4.1. Definition of the DMM
4.2. Autistic children and "signal disturbances" of negative base effects
4.3. Resulting interaction in mother and child
5. Conclusion
Research Objectives and Core Themes
The primary objective of this bachelor's thesis is to examine the nature of attachment behavior in children with autism, specifically challenging the misconception that autistic individuals lack social interest or the capacity for emotional bonding. By applying the "Dynamic Maturation Model of Attachment and Adaptation" (DMM) by Dr. Patricia Crittenden, the study seeks to explore how interactional challenges act as a "signaling disorder" between the autistic child and their caregiver, ultimately aiming to provide a better understanding of these complex attachment dynamics.
- The historical and clinical development of autism research, focusing on pioneers Hans Asperger and Leo Kanner.
- Perceptual peculiarities in autism, including specific differences in visual and auditory processing.
- The foundational attachment theory by John Bowlby and the experimental "Strange Situation" paradigm by Mary Ainsworth.
- Application of the DMM to explain how communication signal interferences affect mother-child interactions in autistic cases.
- The role of maternal sensitivity and resilience in fostering secure bonds despite neurological and sensory differences.
Excerpt from the Book
2.3.1. Seeing
Think and act as a next step. As simple and ordinary as this process may seem to a healthy developed person, people with autism are faced with a difficult task. The thoughts and the actions differ so much from each other that one could speak of a kind of "transmission error". This leads to difficulties of interpretation on the part of the environment.
The lack or only very fleeting eye contact is considered one of the most striking symptoms of autism. The search for the origin of this phenomenon has always led to controversial discussions. Do the children lack interest in contacting us and thus also human relationships in general? Or does it avoid eye contact out of fear? Asperger's time also dealt with similar questions. In his habilitation thesis, he writes that the disturbance becomes clear above all in the conversation, since one not only answers with words, but also "with the gaze, with the tone of the speech, with the expression of his expression and his gestures; it is precisely the thymic relationships, i.e. that which binds above all other people to people, that take place in these latter phenomena.."
Summary of Chapters
1. Introduction: This chapter introduces the societal perception of autism, corrects common myths, and outlines the thesis's goal of exploring early childhood bonds in the context of autism.
2. Autism: This section details the historical pioneers of autism research, the symptomatology of current diagnostic systems (ICD-10), and the specific perceptual peculiarities regarding vision and hearing.
3. First binding: This chapter covers the fundamental theories of attachment, including Bowlby’s bonding theory, Ainsworth’s "Foreign Situation" experiments, and the concepts of resilience and vulnerability in disabled children.
4. Autistics and attachment - explained at the "DMM" according to Crittenden: This chapter applies Crittenden’s DMM to explain how communication "signal disturbances" between autistic children and their caregivers affect bonding, emphasizing the "between" nature of the disorder.
5. Conclusion: The concluding chapter summarizes that secure attachment is indeed possible for autistic children and stresses that maternal sensitivity, rather than traditional "normal" interaction, is the key to healthy development.
Keywords
Autism, Attachment Theory, DMM, Patricia Crittenden, John Bowlby, Mother-child interaction, Resilience, Perceptual peculiarities, Signal disturbance, Asperger's syndrome, Kanner syndrome, Early childhood development, Sensitive caregiving, Social signaling, Neurodiversity.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core subject of this thesis?
The thesis explores the attachment behavior of children with autism and investigates why their interactions with caregivers are often characterized by communication challenges.
What are the primary themes discussed?
The main themes include the history of autism research, perceptual processing differences, standard attachment theories, and the application of the Dynamic Maturation Model (DMM).
What is the central research question?
The research asks whether children with autism can form bonds, how these bonds manifest in the presence of disabilities, and what the underlying causes of their interactional differences are.
Which scientific methodology is utilized?
The study utilizes a theoretical literature analysis, focusing on developmental psychology, attachment research, and the interpretation of clinical case studies through the lens of the DMM.
What topics does the main part cover?
The main body treats the diagnosis and history of autism, the mechanics of human bonding as defined by attachment theorists, and the specific difficulties autistic children face in visual and auditory sensory integration.
Which keywords best describe this work?
Keywords include Autism, Attachment Theory, DMM, Maternal Sensitivity, Resilience, Perceptual Peculiarities, and Interactional Signal Disturbance.
How does the DMM explain autism differently than traditional models?
The DMM reframes autism not as a disorder located "in" the person, but as a "signal disturbance" occurring "between" the child and the caregiver, emphasizing the need for sensitive frequency matching.
What role does maternal sensitivity play in the bonding of autistic children?
Maternal sensitivity is identified as the "secret ingredient" that allows caregivers to adapt to their child's specific perceptual needs, effectively overcoming the barrier caused by signal interference.
What conclusion does the author reach regarding the capacity for love in autism?
The author concludes that autistic individuals are fully capable of love and deep emotional attachment, though they may express these feelings in ways that are unconventional or less obvious to non-autistic observers.
- Quote paper
- Lisanne Hilker (Author), 2014, Peculiarities of attachment behavior in children with autism. Interaction problems as a signaling disorder between people, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/1175609
