Bindung und Risiko

Growing up under conditions that are risky and pose a threat to the children’s development, for instance due to a precarious domestic or socio-economic situation, is no individual case in our society. Especially children who grow up under the above-mentioned circumstances tend to develop psychopathologic abnormalities like internalizing and externalizing behavioral problems. In order to conceptualize specific offers for prevention and support, it is necessary to gain a precise understanding of the risks that the children in question are exposed to. This concerns the direct effects of the risk factors as well as the consequences of their collaboration with protective factors like a secure attachment relationship.The thesis at hand analyses the interaction of attachment and risk in terms of the degree of severity of behavioral problems of children in middle childhood who are part of the high risk population of the EVA research study. Data about risk exposure of families and children’s problematic behavior was collected within the scope of guideline-based interviews with parents. Attachment was evaluated with the support of the Manchester Child Attachment Story Task (MCAST).Main findings of this thesis refer to the cumulative interaction of risks as well as the influence of single risk factors on the degree of severity of behavioral disorders (e.g. parental stress level, experience of violence within the family, experience of separation within the family). Psycho-social or family-related risk factors appear to be of high relevance whereas class-related or socio-economic factors do not seem to be directly related to the appearance of problematic behavior. Moreover, an interaction of attachment type and the amount of risks in regard to the degree of severity of problematic behavior becomes apparent.Based on these findings, the thesis argues in favour of the conception of individual prevention and support offers which consider the specific living conditions of children taking part in the research study and, additionally, which start from the relationship level. Standardised programs do not comply with the needs of families with complex structures of environment and relationships in high risk milieus.