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The abused child as a hostage: Insights from the hostage theory on pathological attachment and some developmental implications

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  29 February 2016

Janet Stanley  and
Christopher Goddard
Janet Stanley*
Affiliation:
Social Work at Monash University
Christopher Goddard*
Affiliation:
Department of Social Work at Monash University
*
Department of Social Work, Monash University, Vic. 3168
Department of Social Work, Monash University, Vic. 3168
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Abstract

In a theoretical extension of Goddard's Hostage theory, the authors propose that a pathological attachment may be formed between the abused child and the abuser. While this attachment may have value in the short term for the abused child, it may have longer term developmental costs. Some preliminary evidence for a pathological attachment can be found in the literature.

Type
Research Article
Information
Children Australia , Volume 20 , Issue 1 , 1995 , pp. 24 - 29
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1995

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