<Tr> <Th> MeSH </Th> <Td> D019962 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td_colspan="2"> (edit on Wikidata) </Td> </Tr> <P> Reactive attachment disorder (RAD) is described in clinical literature as a severe and relatively uncommon disorder that can affect children . RAD is characterized by markedly disturbed and developmentally inappropriate ways of relating socially in most contexts . It can take the form of a persistent failure to initiate or respond to most social interactions in a developmentally appropriate way--known as the "inhibited form". Due to recent revision in the DSM - 5 the "disinhibited form" is now considered a separate diagnosis named "disinhibited attachment disorder". </P> <P> RAD arises from a failure to form normal attachments to primary caregivers in early childhood . Such a failure could result from severe early experiences of neglect, abuse, abrupt separation from caregivers between the ages of six months and three years, frequent change of caregivers, or a lack of caregiver responsiveness to a child's communicative efforts . Not all, or even a majority of such experiences, result in the disorder . It is differentiated from pervasive developmental disorder or developmental delay and from possibly comorbid conditions such as intellectual disability, all of which can affect attachment behavior . The criteria for a diagnosis of a reactive attachment disorder are very different from the criteria used in assessment or categorization of attachment styles such as insecure or disorganized attachment . </P>

What does rad stand for in mental health