Child Abuse and Neglect: Attachment, Development and Intervention

by David Howe

This clear and compelling textbook provides a complete survey of the field of child abuse and neglect from the perspective of modern developmental attachment theory. It starts by describing the ways in which attachment difficulties manifest themselves in children's behaviour, and goes on looking at abuse, neglect, and compound cases of abuse and neglect, backing it all up with empirical research evidence and vivid case material. In its final section, it provides a comprehensive review of attachment-based interventions.

Written by an extremely respected and successful author, this book, anchored in research evidence, places its emphasis on practice implementation and aims at answering all the kinds of questions practitioners and student practitioners specialising in child welfare are most likely to ask.

Genres: Psychology, Social Work, Nonfiction

336 pages, Paperback

First published April 21, 2005

Reviews

[Jack · Rating 5 out of 5]

Howe's book is a great reference book that looks at various kinds of abuse and neglect from a developmental/attachment perspective. A developmental perspective views children's minds as developing in close relationships. A child exhibits various degrees of attachment to a caregiver and that caregiver's sensitivity is affected by their own processing of their past relational trauma and neglect. This book is not a simple overview and might be heavy to read from front to back-- but if you pick and choose what is of interest to you the chapters are very well written, the research is up to date, and the ideas for interventions and treatment provide a good overview of some of the more recent approaches to improving parental responsiveness in a neglectful/abusive household.
The book has a simple introduction on emotions and development (chapter 2), and an excellent chapter on "Patterns of Attachment" (chapter 3). What is phenomenal about the book is that it provides a picture of the "caregiving environment" under various situations, what the parents are doing in terms of handling their own anxieties and attachment issues, and what the children are doing to adapt and cope. The book paints a very descriptive picture of how the cycles of insecure attachment repeats itself through parental patterns, down through the children, and then of course, as the children become adults and parents themselves. The book provided me with greater compassion for children experiencing emotional neglect or insensitive caregiving. It gave me a greater compassion for myself.
What Howe also addresses very clearly is the impact of neglect. So often the focus has been on overt abuse but the impact on neglect on child development is profound. A child's capacity to handle affect and respond in a healthy manner to intimacy is compromised in neglect. Chapter 6 "Psychological Maltreatment: Emotional Abuse, Neglect and Rejection" is a must read (along with Chapter 3). The discussion not only describes family dynamics and child adaptations but case vignettes. The impact on a sense of self is a theme throughout the book. Impacts of drug abuse, sexual abuse, domestic violence and physical abuse are all covered in various chapters.
The last section of the book includes an overview of interventions based on a child's age and the nature of the home environment. The rationale to the interventions is spelled out clearly but great detail about each possible intervention is beyond the scope of the book. Haven't read all of the book--but major pieces of it while skimming some sections. (Available at MHGS library)

[Alisha Brook · Rating 3 out of 5]

Title: Child Abuse & Neglect - Attachment, Development & Intervention
Series: -
Author: David Howe
Genre: Informational/ Psychology/ Early Development
Rating: 3.5 stars

Though interesting and useful in it's factual content, which admittedly every good textbook should be first and foremost, the content was often repetitive and due to lack of images or creative styling, this textbook came across as being rather boring and tedious.

[Samuel Hinson · Rating 5 out of 5]

The best social work book (period)

Bought this book as a student and it was so good I got kindle version so it can be with me wherever I am. I am now a social worker and still use the book to write assessments and statements.

[Lucy Stockwell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really helps you understand what appears to be evil and unexplainable- you can get a sense of the world view of those involved

[Goldenrod]

DNF p. 24. Might come back to it.

[Renie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Helpful to me in understanding the damage of abuse and neglect and what interventions are useful in working with children or adults.