University of Tennessee, Knoxville TRACE: Tennessee Research and Creative Exchange Doctoral Dissertations Graduate School 12-2009 Child Parent Relationship Therapy: Hope for Disrupted Attachment Carolyn Carlisle Hacker University of Tennessee - Knoxville Follow this and additional works at: https://trace.tennessee.edu/utk_graddiss Part of the Educational Psychology Commons Recommended Citation Hacker, Carolyn Carlisle, "Child Parent Relationship Therapy: Hope for Disrupted Attachment. " PhD diss., University of Tennessee, 2009. https://trace.tennessee.edu/utk_graddiss/604 This Dissertation is brought to you for free and open access by the Graduate School at TRACE: Tennessee Research and Creative Exchange. It has been accepted for inclusion in Doctoral Dissertations by an authorized administrator of TRACE: Tennessee Research and Creative Exchange. For more information, please contact [email protected]. To the Graduate Council: I am submitting herewith a dissertation written by Carolyn Carlisle Hacker entitled "Child Parent Relationship Therapy: Hope for Disrupted Attachment." I have examined the final electronic copy of this dissertation for form and content and recommend that it be accepted in partial fulfillment of the equirr ements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy, with a major in Educational Psychology. Tricia McClam, Major Professor We have read this dissertation and recommend its acceptance: Ralph G. Brockett, Teresa A. Hutchens, Marianne Woodside Accepted for the Council: Carolyn R. Hodges Vice Provost and Dean of the Graduate School (Original signatures are on file with official studentecor r ds.) To the Graduate Council: I am submitting herewith a dissertation written by Carolyn Carlisle Hacker entitled “Child Parent Relationship Therapy: Hope for Disrupted Attachment.” I have examined the final electronic copy of this dissertation for form and content and recommend that it be accepted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy, with a major in Educational Psychology and Counseling. Tricia McClam We have read this dissertation and recommend its acceptance: Ralph G. Brockett Teresa A. Hutchens Marianne Woodside Accepted for the Council: Carolyn R. Hodges Vice Provost and Dean of the Graduate School Child Parent Relationship Therapy: Hope for Disrupted Attachment A Dissertation Presented for the Doctor of Philosophy Degree The University of Tennessee, Knoxville Carolyn Carlisle Hacker December 2009 Copyright © 2009 by Carolyn Carlisle Hacker All rights reserved ii Acknowledgements This dissertation is dedicated with gratitude to God, Jehovah Rafa, the God of healing and the God of second chances. Thank you for many second chances and the opportunity to realize my dream of becoming a professor. This dissertation is also dedicated to my: Husband Joe who has loved me unconditionally, supported me without reservation, and believed in my vision sometimes even more than I did. Son, Dr. Zachary E. Wright Jr.; I love you with all of my heart and I am so proud to be your mom. Mother Patricia Barron Carlisle, and my father, Thomas Wayne Carlisle Sr., who have inspired in me the deep respect for education and the quest for knowledge, ensuring me that anything was possible with hard work, sacrifice, and perseverance. Family and friends; thank you for your support as I have traveled the PhD path. The journey was arduous and the road rocky, and without you, would have been impossible. Dissertation committee; thank you for your continual support and for your willingness to invest in me as a counselor educator. Clients who came to my practice in search of healing; you have been my inspiration and motivation, and you have my undying respect and affection. I am humbled and honored that you chose to share your life with me. Students past, present and future: It is impossible for us to fully understand how the iii work we do will impact the world. Nor can we know how a kind smile, a willing heart, or our ability to truly listen will ease the way for someone who is hurting. It is important to remember that the work we do will send forth ripples in the water, ripples we have no control over and that will extend beyond our influence. So send forth those ripples; with care, with forethought and always with unconditional positive regard and the imprint you leave will be far reaching. May God richly bless the work you do on behalf of His children. Godspeed. iv Abstract The purpose of this study was to determine if Child Parent Relationship Therapy (CPRT) was an effective method of treatment for reducing behaviors associated with attachment difficulties experienced by foster children who have been removed from their family of origin. This study also sought to determine if the age of the foster child, the gender of the foster child, or the number of foster placements would also influence behaviors associated with attachment difficulties. This study was conducted with a pre-test, post-test, quasi-experimental group, control group design format using the Randolph Attachment Disorder Questionnaire (RADQ) assessment instrument. The quasi-experimental group received the CPRT intervention and the control group participated in a support group. Results indicated no significant group interaction was found demonstrating that improvement in overall behaviors associated with attachment difficulty did not differ between the two groups. However, both the quasi-experimental group and the control group demonstrated a significant improvement in behaviors associated with attachment difficulty over time. When the two groups were compared using the subscales of the RADQ, the control group demonstrated a significant difference in the social subscale. There were no significant difference between the quasi-experimental and control groups‟ mean scores on the basis of age, however, the subscales of the post-test of the quasi-experimental group indicated an improvement in at least one subscale. There were no significant findings in relation to the total RADQ scores in regard to gender or in relation to the number of foster placements experienced by the child. The implications of these findings are discussed and directions for future research are also presented. v Table of Contents CHAPTER ONE .......................................................................................................................................................... 1 INTRODUCTION .......................................................................................................................................................... 1 Statement of the Problem ..................................................................................................................................... 7 Purpose of the Study ............................................................................................................................................ 9 Research Questions ............................................................................................................................................ 11 Delimitations ...................................................................................................................................................... 12 Limitations ......................................................................................................................................................... 13 Significance of the Study .................................................................................................................................... 14 Definition of Terms ............................................................................................................................................ 15 Organization of the Study................................................................................................................................... 20 Summary ............................................................................................................................................................ 21 CHAPTER TWO ....................................................................................................................................................... 22 REVIEW OF LITERATURE .......................................................................................................................................... 22 Filial Therapy .................................................................................................................................................... 22 Filial Therapy In Comparison to Other Parent Training Programs ................................................................................. 25 The Guerney Model ........................................................................................................................................................ 26 The Landreth Model ....................................................................................................................................................... 31 Filial Therapy Literature ................................................................................................................................................. 32 Filial Therapy with Cultural Groups ............................................................................................................................... 36 Summary of Filial Therapy Literature............................................................................................................................