The Integrative Therapy for Attachment and Behaviour (ITAB) focuses on the treatment of attachment problems in children and adults with a visual and/or intellectual disability. The main goal of ITAB is that by carrying out this protocol-based treatment, the therapist becomes an attachment figure for the child/adult. Over time, the client will feel safe with the therapist. Such a secure relationship provides a buffer during stress and contributes to emotion regulation. Over time, this will reduce the challenging behaviour of the client. The challenging behaviour can even disappear. As a result of the establishment of an attachment relationship of the client with the therapist, the client can enter into other attachment relationships.

In this book we give an overview of the treatment (part 1) and then various ITAB treatments are described extensively using case examples (part 2). The aim of this book is to offer the reader more insight into the course of the ITAB-treatment.‘It is beautiful to read how the ITAB-therapy inspires therapists to address attachment problems among clients with visual and/or intellectual disability.’

Francien Dekker-van der Sande, clinical psychologist/child and adolescent psychotherapist, Bartiméus.