Useful links

CECA Interview
The Childhood Experience of Care and Abuse (CECA) interview is a retrospective measure of childhood and adolescent experience. It has been developed by the team at Lifespan Research Group to investigate lifetime risk factors for mental health disorders.

Centre for Abuse and Trauma Studies (CATS)
A new Centre for research, practice and training, focussed on issues of abuse and trauma, at Kingston University London. The Centre provides research, consultancy, media advice, practice training, continuing professional development, knowledge transfer and learning in a broad range of abuse related topics across the lifespan. The Centre is directed by Prof Bifulco (Lifespan Research Group @CATS) and Prof Davidson..

Child and Family Training
Child and Family Training is a not-for-profit organisation which provides training on evidence-based approaches for assessing children and their families.

Institute of Social Science (ISS)
A newly formed institute based at Kingston University, London, with the aims of raising the profile of social science nationally, support collaborative research and postgraduate study in the social sciences, and form a network of social scientists both inside and outside Kingston University.

Lifespan Research Group
The Lifespan Research Group investigates social and psychological factors influencing mental health. It takes a lifespan approach, examining factors from childhood through to older age, in community-based samples ranging in age from 16 to 75. The Lifespan Research Group is part of the Centre for Abuse and Trauma Studies (CATS)Kingston University London.

LifespanCollection
Data collected from 10 years of MRC programme funding with over 500 families in London, is currently in the process of being preserved and archived by Lifespan Research Group.

Parenting Role Interview (PRI)
PRI is a new parenting assessment measure that has been developed by Lifespan Research Group at Kingston University London. The aim of the PRI is to gather information on the parent or carer’s views of their parenting role. It can act as a standalone assessment measure of parenting, or as a supplement to the Attachment style Interview to help understand further the potential implications of their partner relationship and attachment style for the nature of the parenting they may provide for their children.

St Christopher’s Fellowship
Lifespan is working with this voluntary organisation on the Specialist Homes Action Research Project (SHARP), a new intervention for children with complex needs living in residential care. Lifespan are providing enhanced assessments of the young people’s risks and resiliences and workshops for staff on attachment theory and implications for practice.

Filial Therapy UK website
Information on Filial Therapy by Geraldine Thomas MSc, who has a specific interest and expertise in Attachment Theory, particularly as it is expressed in young children who have suffered neglect and abuse. Geraldine specialises in the use of play therapy, filial therapy, parent consultation and other interventions with children and families with a wide range of difficulties and a particular interest is facilitating attachment between adopted and foster children and their carers.

British Psychological Society
Professor Antonia Bifulco is a Chartered Psychologist and an Associate Fellow of British Psychological Society

 

BOOKS:

Understanding Adult Attachment in Family Relationships: Research, Assessment and Intervention
Book by Antonia Bifulco and Geraldine Thomas
Expected publishing date: Autumn 2012

Attachment theory has become a key focus of both research and practice in understanding and treating psychological and social risk for marital and relationship problems, parenting and clinical disorders. In particular, adult attachment style is a key explanatory factor for understanding problems in human relationships. This practical book introduces and explains an easily accessible assessment tool for adult attachment style, the Attachment Style Interview (ASI). Based on extensive research study, it then discusses appropriate interventions and case assessments that can be made to help families in need. Simpler than the Adult Attachment Interview, which requires expert administration, the ASI is an invaluable and evidence-based resource and is particularly useful for multiagency practitioners working with children and families, including those in adoption and fostering, child Safeguarding, ‘Looked After’ and therapeutic services. Presenting clear and concise descriptions of the measure and summaries of the attachment models developed, it provides discussions of its relevance for different practice contexts. This text uses a range of worked case studies to illustrate its principles and applications. It details attachment issues in different relationship domains to cover areas of risk and resilience relevant for practice such as: Adult depression and anxiety and stress models, Partner difficulties including domestic violence, Childhood neglect and abuse as a source of attachment problems, Parenting and intergenerational transmission of risk Resilience factors Interventions, service application and use in family therapy.

 

Wednesday's Child: Research into Women's Experience of Neglect and Abuse in Childhood and Adult Depression, a book by Antonia Bifulco and Patricia Moran
order the book from Amazon
order from Psychology Press