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Attachment Theory In Foster Care

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Article Review: Attachment theory & change processes in foster care
Tucker, D. J., & MacKenzie, M. J. (2012). Attachment theory and change processes in foster care. Children and Youth Services Review,34(11), 2208-2219. doi:10.1016/j.childyouth.2012.07.020

Within the following paper, I intend to review the article, Attachment theory and the change processes in foster care written by David J. Tucker and Michael J. MacKenzie. Tucker is a respected professor from the University of Michigan’s School of Social Work, while MacKenzie is a professor from the prestige Columbia University. When deciding the article of my choice for the article review, I knew I wanted to learn more about attachment theory. Attachment theory was mentioned within Trauma …show more content…

Overall, this article’s purpose was to address the proposal of attachment theory as a (transactional) theory of change for foster children. Tucker and MacKenzie did this by presenting seven hypotheses – the first three presented focus on placement change and how it affects risk of exit from foster care, while the last four focus on how change affects the rates of placement change, while not focusing on child characteristics. The overarching theme within this journal was how attachment theory played a role within the effects children within foster care were experiencing change. Attachment theory and the change processes in foster presented new information regarding to age and how age affects foster children’s risk. This study proposed the risks of exit and change affecting foster children depends on the age of the children. It was important the findings from this journal be published due to the fact these findings showed the notability of having a focus on studying not only the types of changes …show more content…

I believe this can be utilized within the many cases of foster care. Even if there is not currently a solution to helping those children within the foster care and facing these consequences, having the foster parents and social workers be aware of these consequences can help to lessen the blow on the children and possibly to help find a solution.
In my opinion, I believe there were a plethora of strengths within this journal: the large participant size studied for example. The large participant size of 3,448 children allowed for the validity of the study to be stronger. With more children’s cases to examine, the researchers were able to determine if their findings were universal throughout the foster children. Another strength I believe is evident in the study is the researchers passion. They presented a lot of information and it is evident they spent a lot of their time to examine their data and come to their

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