Summary from the Frontline web site - FRONTLINE explores the bond between parents and children and the profound implications for children’s behavior later in life if that attachment is hampered. These characteristics may include overly aggressive behavior, serious learning problems, and delinquency. The program uses surveillance cameras in the homes of three middle-class families who are struggling with troubled children between the ages of sixteen months and three years and observes the behavior and interactions of the children and their parents. “Even before they can speak, children give out signals,” says producer Neil Docherty. “What are those signals? And what happens when they are misread or missed entirely?”

Summary from the Filmakers Library web site - Current theory holds that if a child does not properly attach itself to a caregiver in the first three years, the implications for later life are profound. This can show up in the form of overly aggressive behavior, serious learning problems, and delinquency.

The film crew followed three mothers and their problem children, ages ten months to three years. All represent middle class, low risk, intact families. The film traces them through three months of therapy at the C.M. Hincks Treatment Centre in Toronto.

Two of the children have never slept through the entire night, and one child has a serious eating disorder. She holds food in her mouth for up to three hours, refusing to swallow. The families of these children are pushed to the edge of despair in trying to manage them.

As in The Trouble With Evan, cameras were placed in the homes of the families and tapes of therapy sessions were used to observe the behavior of the children and their interaction with their parents. It becomes clear that children, even before they can speak, give out signals of disturbance. If there is not proper intervention, the entire family can be thrown into turmoil.

Comment from a NM infant services organization - In spite of ... internal inconsistencies and erroneous (and potentially damaging to new parents) assumptions, this film is a well-made and lucid narration of the powerful relationship between quality of parent-baby attachment and childhood behavioral problems, for both clinicians and laypeople alike.
 

Comment from a NM community arts program - The video presentation of this information [on attachment theory] with all the detailed stories and pictures of families and the therapy experience, is a gentle and non-confrontational way to motivate parents to consider their roles in their child's behavior problems and to seek help from therapists.
 

Comment from a NM adolescent services organization - The film was ... specific to middle class families. While some of our participants do come from middle class families, many do not. Often for our participants, their attachment issues are related to parental substance abuse and poverty.
 

Comment from a NM grief counseling center - The video was intense, as I am sure you have heard from others. It wasn't until the end of it that I could see clearly how the parents' attitudes were actually responsible for the children's behavior. I wonder if would be possible to get the same information across in another way ... one that is not so difficult to watch. Our staff learned from the video and felt it was useful, but they were hesitant to show it to the parents.

Comment from psychology graduate student - As a therapist, this video is interesting for the case studies and
specific examples of attachment problems. It introduces attachment theory, although it provides little explanation of what it actually means for attachment to be secure or insecure and how this is assessed. It also does not provide a view of the “big picture” about the range of caregiver behaviors that foster secure or insecure attachment, and how to treat them. In spite of that, I think this video should be shown to interns (and therapists) as a starting point for treating families with young children, since the concept of examining the parent's behavior instead of pathologizing the child is, in my view, the best approach overall.

Comment from university professor - This video provides an excellent overview of attachment theory and practice  including reference to seminal thinkers and researchers and current clinical methods. It does a wonderful job demonstrating how anxious attachment manifests in young children and the very serious concerns that these behaviors cause for families.  By showing actual footage of treatment, the video helps the viewer to see how the simple “Wait, Watch, and Wonder” approach makes change in the parent-child relationship.  It is especially helpful to see the process over time. I really appreciated the frank way that the ups and downs of treatment was handled.

In addition, the style is very engaging, leading the audience to have a high level of interest and concern about the families portrayed.  It is particularly helpful to students to see that very “normal” families may struggle with anxious attachments. The use of three different families is important, as different students may connect with different family configurations. I have used this video in training on Infant Mental Health for paraprofessionals and it leads to excellent discussion about attachment and intervention. I hope to use this copy [of Bough Breaks] in training with mental health providers who are retraining to work with young children.

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