Attachment Theory Case Study

Case Study – Kayla and Kathy This case study involve Kayla a 17 year old female and her 49 year old mother, Kathy. Kayla and her mother reside in a little country town, low income family. Kayla and her mother are fighting because Kathy is always taking her money and spending it on drugs and there is no money for rent and food to feed her sister and brothers. Child Protective Service has investigated allegations of abuse and neglect. Kayla fought her mother and hit her with a chair to keep her from going out and spending the money for drugs. Family court ordered Kayla to go to psychotherapy weekly. Kayla’s mother brought her to therapy. Eventually, I met with them together and individual to see where the problem lies in their relationship.
Kayla remember the days when her mother use to cook and look at movies with. Kayla love her mother so much that it tears her up inside when she has to fight her to get the money for food so they are able to eat. Kayla has to put her mother Kathy to bed many nights because she is so high and can barely stand. Kayla becomes her mother care giver. I believe that the Attachment Theory plays a part. The attachment theory are concepts that explain the emergence of an emotional bond between an infant and primary care giver and the way in which this bond effects the child’s behavioral and emotional development into adulthood (www.psychologydictionary.org). Kayla and her mother closeness is deteriorating because Kayla has to fight her mother at least once or twice a week to take her money to pay the bills and she is tired. Kathy only says that she cannot help herself and she needs. Kayla is not going to school because she has to send her siblings to school and make sure everything is all right when they returned home. Bowlby (1988) suggested that the attachment theory is an existing drive for someone to feel connected to other; children need to have that bond with their parents or develop that attachment because it is critical (Aymer,