Citation

Verhees MWFT, Ceulemans E, Bosmans G. J. Am. Acad. Child Adolesc. Psychiatry 2019; 58(7): 732-733.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2019, American Academy of Child Adolescent Psychiatry, Publisher Lippincott Williams and Wilkins)

DOI

10.1016/j.jaac.2019.01.022

PMID

31229182

Abstract

A recent article published in the Journal describes the effectiveness of attachment-based family therapy in decreasing suicidal ideation and depressive symptoms in adolescents. 1Because insecure attachment is a transdiagnostic risk factor in the development of psychological problems in children and adolescents, improving attachment relationships is an important therapeutic endeavor. In their article, Diamond et al. suggest that programs such as attachment-based family therapy might become more effective or "fortified by integrating more specific cognitive and emotional skills training." 1In the current letter, we want to argue that such a claim is theoretically meaningful, how such fortification might be achieved, and which training components might be added. Most importantly, we want to plea for clinical research that puts this claim to a test.

Language: en

Keywords

Humans; Child; Adolescent; Depression; Suicidal Ideation; Cognition; Object Attachment; Family Therapy