Attachment Relationships Between Children with Physical Disabilities and Their Caregivers

Abstract

Past research has empirically linked the experience of raising a disabled child to high levels of parental stress, depression, social isolation, psychological maladjustment, and child maltreatment. Findings from this research indicate that the cumulative influence of these factors may significantly affect the child-caregiver attachment relationship. Likewise, exposure to medical intervention, repeated hospitalizations, onerous care-giving responsibilities, and extensive financial outlays has also been found to constitute a source of stress for the caregivers of a child with a physical disability. A consequence of this stress is that attachment relations may, in some instances, be adversely affected. The effects of childhood physical disability on the child-caregiver attachment relationship will be further explored in this review of the literature.