Reattach Therapy – its Efficacy in Treating Conduct Disorder – a Case Study

Abstract

Introduction: Conduct Disorder with its prevalence varying from 5.8% to 8.7% is characterised by repetitive and persistent patterns of antisocial, aggressive or defiant behaviour with persistent violation of age – appropriate social expectations. Major symptoms can be aggressive, destructive behaviour, with no remorse about hurting others. Other symptoms include poor academic performance and social isolation.

Objective: The aim of this study is to find out the efficacy of ReAttach therapy in the treatment and management of Conduct Disorder.

Method – Case Report: A 13 year old adolescent living in a children’s home was brought in with chief complaints of destructive behaviour with no fear of punishment, and caught rubbing fecal material on the walls. Aggression, physical violence and threatening behaviour towards fellow children, and cruelty towards animals. He was socially isolated, had poor concentration, anxious behaviour and poor academic performance.

Intervention: The ReAttach Therapy has been found to be the most effective treatment in this case study. Since this adolescent was defiant, destructive, aggressive, prone to lying and making up false stories, his therapeutic intervention through linear analytic verbal techniques and mainstream interventions may not have brought holistic effectiveness in treatment. ReAttach therapy opened up vast possibilities to capture intricate relationships between his maladaptive beliefs, emotions, and traumatic memories by providing access to his cognitive structures.