Disinhibited social engagement disorder

Disinhibited social engagement disorder, abbreviated DSED and also called disinhibited attachment disorder, is an attachment disorder in which a child shows little or no fear of unfamiliar adults and may actively approach them, which can place the child in unsafe situations. It is classified only as a childhood disorder and is usually diagnosed after nine months of age and before age six. Children who receive inconsistent or insufficient care from a primary caregiver are at risk, and it is commonly diagnosed in children raised in foster care or institutions. It was listed in the DSM-5 in 2013 as a separate disorder after earlier being treated as a subtype of reactive attachment disorder, and play therapy and expressive therapy are described as approaches that help form attachment.