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HandWiki. Dyadic Developmental Psychotherapy. Encyclopedia. Available online: https://encyclopedia.pub/entry/34982 (accessed on 22 September 2026).
HandWiki. Dyadic Developmental Psychotherapy. Encyclopedia. Available at: https://encyclopedia.pub/entry/34982. Accessed September 22, 2026.
HandWiki. "Dyadic Developmental Psychotherapy" Encyclopedia, https://encyclopedia.pub/entry/34982 (accessed September 22, 2026).
HandWiki. (2022, November 17). Dyadic Developmental Psychotherapy. In Encyclopedia. https://encyclopedia.pub/entry/34982
HandWiki. "Dyadic Developmental Psychotherapy." Encyclopedia. Web. 17 November, 2022.
Dyadic Developmental Psychotherapy
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Dyadic developmental psychotherapy is a psychotherapeutic treatment method for families that have children with symptoms of emotional disorders, including complex trauma and disorders of attachment. It was originally developed by Daniel Hughes as an intervention for children whose emotional distress resulted from earlier separation from familiar caregivers. Hughes cites attachment theory and particularly the work of John Bowlby as theoretical motivations for dyadic developmental psychotherapy. Dyadic developmental therapy principally involves creating a "playful, accepting, curious, and empathic" environment in which the therapist attunes to the child's "subjective experiences" and reflects this back to the child by means of eye contact, facial expressions, gestures and movements, voice tone, timing and touch, "co-regulates" emotional affect and "co-constructs" an alternative autobiographical narrative with the child. Dyadic developmental psychotherapy also makes use of cognitive-behavioral strategies. The "dyad" referred to must eventually be the parent-child dyad. The active presence of the primary caregiver is preferred but not required. A study by Arthur Becker-Weidman in 2006, which suggested that dyadic developmental therapy is more effective than the "usual treatment methods" for reactive attachment disorder and complex trauma, has been criticised by the American Professional Society on the Abuse of Children (APSAC). According to the APSAC Taskforce Report and Reply, dyadic developmental psychotherapy does not meet the criteria for designation as "evidence based" nor provide a basis for conclusions about "usual treatment methods". A 2006 research synthesis described the approach as a "supported and acceptable" treatment, but this conclusion has also proved controversial. A 2013 review of research recommended caution about this method of therapy, arguing that it has "no support for claims of effectiveness at any level of evidence" and a questionable theoretical basis.

reactive attachment emotional affect children

References

  1. Hughes D (2004). "An attachment-based treatment of maltreated children and young people". Attachment & Human Development 6 (3): 263–278. doi:10.1080/14616730412331281539. PMID 15513268. http://www.attachmentcoalition.org/DDP.pdf. 
  2. Mercer Jean (2014). "Examining Dyadic Developmental Psychotherapy as a Treatment for Adopted and Foster Children: A Review of Research and Theory". Research on Social Work Practice November 24 (6): 715–724. doi:10.1177/1049731513516514.  https://dx.doi.org/10.1177%2F1049731513516514
  3. null
  4. Becker-Weidman. Treatment for Children with Trauma-Attachment Disorders: Dyadic Developmental Psychotherapy, Child and Adolescent Social Work Journal. 23(2), April 2006
  5. Advocates for Children in Therapy - Daniel Hughes. http://www.childrenintherapy.org/proponents/hughes.html
  6. Daniel A. Hughes (1997). Facilitating Developmental Attachment: The Road to Emotional Recovery and Behavioral Change in Foster and Adopted Children. Publisher Jason Aronson Inc. Retrieved 30 November 2014. https://web.archive.org/web/20070205224739/http://danielahughes.homestead.com/fdaintro.html
  7. Wingfield M, Gurney-Smith B. (2018). Adoptive parents’ experiences of dyadic developmental psychotherapy. Clin Child Psychol Psychiatry. 2019;24(4):661-679. doi:10.1177/1359104518807737 https://doi.org/10.1177%2F1359104518807737
  8. Chaffin M (2006). "Report of the APSAC Task Force on Attachment Therapy, Reactive Attachment Disorder, and Attachment Problems". Child Maltreatment 11 (1): 76–89. doi:10.1177/1077559505283699. PMID 16382093.  | https://dx.doi.org/10.1177%2F1077559505283699
  9. Mark Chaffin, Rochelle Hanson and Benjamin E. Saunders "Reply to Letters Child Maltreat 2006; 11, 381 doi:10.1177/1077559506292636 "Dr. Becker-Weidman is cited three times in the body of the report, none of which refer to coercive techniques. The first citation references his Web site's assertion that traditional therapies are either ineffective or harmful (p. 78). The second citation references his recommendation that children be encouraged to regress to an earlier age as part of treatment (p. 79). The third citation references his assertions, which we believe are unsupported, about practicing an evidence-based treatment (p. 85)." https://doi.org/10.1177%2F1077559506292636
  10. Chaffin Mark, Hanson Rochelle, Saunders Benjamin E (2006). "Reply to Letters". Child Maltreat 11 (4): 381–386. doi:10.1177/1077559506292636.  https://dx.doi.org/10.1177%2F1077559506292636
  11. Becker-Weidman Arthur (2006). "Letter to the Editor". Child Maltreat 11 (4): 379–380. doi:10.1177/1077559506292632. PMID 17043325.  https://dx.doi.org/10.1177%2F1077559506292632
  12. "Hughes went on to describe how his own practice of attachment therapy has changed during the years, specifically in terms of less emphasis on parental victory in power struggles, less use of holding techniques, and rejection of cathartic or dysregulated ventilation of past trauma in favor of approaches that sound very similar to well-supported gradual exposure techniques. Along with this, he offered some discussion of how he came to reconsider some of his own past attachment therapy practices."
  13. Becker-Weidmann, A. (3/7/2004). Dyadic Developmental Psychotherapy, retrieved 3/20/2004 from http://www.center4familydevelop.com/developmentalpsych.htm
  14. Uta M. Walter, U., M. and Petr, C. Best Practices in Children's Mental Health: "Reactive Attachment Disorder: Concepts, Treatment and Research" Produced by the University of Kansas School of Social Welfare in conjunction with Kansas Social Rehabilitation Services pp 10-18
  15. Prior, V., and Glaser, D. (2006). Understanding Attachment and Attachment Disorders: Theory, Evidence and Practice, Jessica Kingsley Publishers, Child and adolescent mental health series. | p268 | ISBN:1-84310-245-5.
  16. Trowell J (2004). "Reflections on 'an attachment-based treatment of maltreated children and young people'". Attachment & Human Development 6 (3): 279–283. doi:10.1080/14616730412331281566. PMID 15513269.  https://dx.doi.org/10.1080%2F14616730412331281566
  17. Becker-Weidman, A., (2006b). Dyadic Developmental Psychotherapy: a multi year follow-up. in Sturt, S., (ed) New Developments in Child Abuse Research. NY: Nova
  18. Mercer J (2015). "Revisiting an Article About Dyadic Developmental Psychotherapy: The Life Cycle of a Woozle". Child and Adolescent Social Work Journal 32 (5): 397–404. doi:10.1007/s10560-015-0399-z.  https://dx.doi.org/10.1007%2Fs10560-015-0399-z
  19. Arthur Becker-Weidman | Letter to the Editor | Child Maltreat 2006 No 11 | p379 |
  20. "In our estimation, DDP still does not meet criteria as an evidence-based treatment, although the published findings do raise hopes that DDP may be promising. Examining the study, it shares many of the same limitations noted in the Task Force's evaluation of the Myeroff study (p. 85). For example, the study used a small convenience sample, participants were self-selected into treatment versus comparison conditions, the age range of participants was very broad (5-16), there was no direct statistical analysis of differential group change over time, outcome data were not collected by blind or impartial reporters, and the study utilized completer only rather than intent-to-treat methods. Of course, no study is without limitations; however, the fact remains that a single study with these sorts of major limitations, although a first step, is far short of the criteria that must be met before designating a treatment as evidence based. In general, we believe that designating a treatment as evidence based is a job for an independent treatment review panel (e.g., American Psychological Association, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration [SAMHSA], Office for Victims of Crime Task Force, Cochrane Collaborative, etc.) applying accepted and established scientific review criteria. None has listed DDP as meeting accepted criteria. Thus, it is our opinion that practitioners should not characterize or advertise DDP as an evidence-based practice at this time." Reply to Letters p3.
  21. Craven , Lee (2006). "Therapeutic Interventions for Foster Children: A systematic Research Synthesis". Research on Social Work Practice 16 (3): 287–304. doi:10.1177/1049731505284863.  https://dx.doi.org/10.1177%2F1049731505284863
  22. Saunders, B.E., Berliner, L., & Hanson, R.F. (Eds.). (2004). Child Physical and Sexual Abuse: Guidelines for Treatment (Revised Report: 26 April 2004). Charleston, SC: National Crime Victims Research and Treatment Center. "Archived copy". http://academicdepartments.musc.edu/ncvc/resources_prof/ovc_guidelines04-26-04.pdf.  Quote "Category 1: Well-supported, efficacious treatment; Category 2: Supported and probably efficacious; Category 3: Supported and acceptable; Category 4: Promising and acceptable; Category 5: Novel and experimental; and Category 6: Concerning Treatment"
  23. Gambrill E (2006). "Evidence-based practice and policy: Choices ahead". Research on Social Work Practice 16 (3): 338–357. doi:10.1177/1049731505284205.  https://dx.doi.org/10.1177%2F1049731505284205
  24. Becker-Weidman, A. (2004). Dyadic developmental psychotherapy: An effective treatment for children with trauma-attachment disorders. Retrieved 10 May 2005 from http://www.Center4familyDevelop.com
  25. Myeroff (1999). "Comparative effectiveness of holding therapy with aggressive children". Child Psychiatry and Human Development 29 (4): 303–313. doi:10.1023/a:1021349116429. PMID 10422354.  https://dx.doi.org/10.1023%2Fa%3A1021349116429
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