PSY541 Attachment and Family Systems

Faculty of Social Studies
Spring 2019

The course is not taught in Spring 2019

Extent and Intensity
0/0/0. 4 credit(s). Type of Completion: z (credit).
Teacher(s)
Dr. Kristýna Bušková (lecturer), doc. Mgr. Lenka Lacinová, Ph.D. (deputy)
doc. Mgr. Lenka Lacinová, Ph.D. (assistant)
Guaranteed by
doc. Mgr. Lenka Lacinová, Ph.D.
Department of Psychology – Faculty of Social Studies
Supplier department: Department of Psychology – Faculty of Social Studies
Course Enrolment Limitations
The course is only offered to the students of the study fields the course is directly associated with.

The capacity limit for the course is 25 student(s).
Current registration and enrolment status: enrolled: 0/25, only registered: 0/25
fields of study / plans the course is directly associated with
Course objectives (in Czech)
This as an English taught course in in attachment and family systems, aimed at familiarizing students with the Dynamic Maturational Model of attachment and adaptation (DMM) and its application (together with general principles of the attachment theory) to family systems and family pathology.
Students will gain an understanding of the DMM theory and its practical applications through clinical case studies, research studies and the DMM assessment methods. Finally, attachment perspective as an alternative model of mental illness, as proposed by the DMM school of attachment (Crittenden, 2008) to the DSM diagnostic manual will be discussed.
Learning outcomes (in Czech)
After completing this course students will be able to:
- understand of the development of attachment strategies in different developmental stages and pathologies related to each.
- understand of the development of attachment strategies as a result of the dynamic interaction of a child with care-givers, family systems and the child’s maturing brain.
- understand of the influence of attachment strategies on communication dynamics in the family and acquiring the ability to use this functionally in family therapy.
- apply attachment perspective to functional case formulation and therapy.
- clinically assess the difference between normative and clinical attachment strategies.
- understand attachment strategies in relation to specific pathologies (ADHD, trauma, eating disorders, BPD, addictions).
- use of reflective capacity and critical thinking skills.
Syllabus (in Czech)
  • Revision of the basic attachment principles, introduction to the DMM theory.
  • From Internal Working Model to Dispositional Representations. The DMM theory and its application to different developmental stages.
  • The DMM assessment applied to family communication patterns and family therapy.
  • Discussion of attachment informed family communication patterns in relation to culture.
  • Attachment and pathology (the DMM perspective): Trauma, ADHD, Eating Disorders, Addictions.
  • Functional case formulation.
  • Group Presentations of functional case formulations.
  • Discussion of the DMM theory as an alternative method of assessment to the DSM manual.
Literature
  • Dallos, R. (2006). Attachment Narrative Therapy: Integrating Systemic, Narrative, and Attachment Approaches. Open University Press.
  • CRITTENDEN, Patricia McKinsey, Rudi DALLOS, Andrea LANDINI and Kasia KOZLOWSKA. Attachment and family therapy. First published. Maidenhead: McGraw-Hill Education, Open University Press. 213 stran. ISBN 9780335235902. 2014. info
  • CRITTENDEN, Patricia McKinsey and Andrea LANDINI. Assessing adult attachment : a dynamic-maturational approach to discourse analysis. First edition. New York: W.W. Norton & Company. x, 424. ISBN 9780393706673. 2011. info
Teaching methods (in Czech)
Lectures, discussion.
Assessment methods (in Czech)
Requirements for a successful completion of the course (for earning “credits”)
1) Active participation in class. (Students are expected to attend every lecture. Only one block absence is allowed. Any exception from this rule has to be discussed with the guarantor of the course)
2) Group presentation of a functional case formulation.
The presentation should include the following:
- identification of key issues
- functional formulation of identified issues using attachment systemic perspective (including the DMM concepts)
- identification of potential pitfalls (points of risk of misdiagnosis/ misformulation)
- suggestion of psychotherapeutic approach
Language of instruction
English
Further comments (probably available only in Czech)
The course is taught each semester.
The course is taught: in blocks.
Information on the extent and intensity of the course: 4 x 3 hodiny.
The course is also listed under the following terms Autumn 2016, Spring 2017, Spring 2018.
  • Enrolment Statistics (Spring 2019, recent)
  • Permalink: https://is.muni.cz/course/fss/spring2019/PSY541