The Adult Attachment Projective Picture System

Abstract

The Adult Attachment Projective Picture System (AAP) is a well-validated free response measure of mental representations of attachment for adults and adolescents. The domain of the AAP is developmental experience, following the Bowlby and Ainsworth model of attachment. This measure stands in stark contrast to measures of attachment style, which are assessments of attachments to romantic partners and generalized social cognitions about relationships. Validated against the Adult Attachment Interview (AAI), the AAP is the only developmental assessment that measures the Bowlby-Ainsworth core attachment theory concepts, including defensive processing. This chapter discusses the practical advantages and strengths of using the AAP in therapeutic settings and describes the story procedure that elicits attachment narratives. The chapter provides a description of the AAP coding and classification system and descriptions of the representational qualities of the four standard developmental adult attachment groups: Secure, Dismissing, Preoccupied, and Unresolved. The chapter concludes by addressing AAP validity studies and obtaining training.