Attachment Perspective Research Articles

Supplemental Material for “Don’t Stand So Close to Me”: An Attachment Perspective of Disengagement and Avoidance in Marriage

Supplemental Material for “Don’t Stand So Close to Me”: An Attachment Perspective of Disengagement and Avoidance in Marriage

Attachment, Intellectual Disabilities and Mental Health: Research, Assessment and Intervention

Attachment theory is highly influential in child and adult mental health research and practice. Research and practice have started now to explore the potential value of an attachment perspective for understanding and alleviating the challenges that persons with intellectual disabilities face in mental health and social participation. Research on attachment and intellectual disabilities is reviewed on its importance for knowledge, assessment and intervention. Progress was found in understanding and distinguishing attachment behaviours, attachment relationships, attachment representations, attachment styles and attachment disorders and their respective implications for assessment and intervention. Of the various attachment-related concepts, insights into attachment behaviours and relationships showed the most promise for practical applications in the field of intellectual disabilities. Findings on representations, styles and disorders were inconclusive or preliminary. Attachment-informed research and practice can be part of emerging developmental understanding of functioning with intellectual disabilities.

Childhood adversity and psychosis: A literature review with clinical and societal implications

There is a substantial body of research indicating an association between childhood adversity and later psychosis. Cross-sectional, correlational studies have given way to large-scale, case-controlled studies which indicate a dose-response association indicative of a causal relationship. Several psychological and biological models have been proposed which offer credible accounts of the processes by which trauma may increase the risk of psychosis, including cognitive, psychodynamic, dissociation and attachment perspectives. Clinically it is imperative routinely to enquire about traumatic experiences, to respond appropriately and to offer psychosocial treatments to those who report traumatic life events in the context of psychotic experiences.

Interpersonal Closeness and Social Reward Processing: Figure 1.

According to the phylogenetic perspective of social engagement and attachment proposed by [Porges (2003)][1], human social behavior fundamentally depends on a dynamic “push–pull” mechanism between two opposing emotional neural circuits ([Fig. 1][2]). Within this framework, major importance is

The Effects of Intimate Partner Violence on Women and Child Survivors: An Attachment Perspective

Approximately 25% of women in the United States report having experienced intimate partner violence (IPV) in an adult relationship with a male partner. For affected women, IPV has been shown to increase the risk of psychopathology such as depression, anxiety, and symptoms of posttraumatic stress. Further, studies suggest that the risk of IPV (victimization or perpetration) may be carried intergenerationally, and children exposed to IPV are at a greater risk of both attachment insecurity and internalizing/externalizing problems. The authors employ an attachment perspective to describe how insecure/non-balanced working models of the relational self and others may be evoked by, elicit, or exacerbate maladaptive outcomes following experiences of IPV for mothers and their children. This article draws on both rich theory and empirical evidence in a discussion of attachment patterns in violent relationships, psychopathological outcomes for exposed women, disruptions in the caregiving relationship that may confer risk to children of exposed mothers, and the biological, social, and attachment risk factors for children exposed to IPV. A clinical case example is presented and discussed in the context of attachment theory.

The Foundation of Autonomous Motivation in the Workplace – An Attachment Perspective

In the last decade evidence has accumulated that autonomous motivation is a powerful mode of motivation that is associated with high level of individual performance. Self-Determination Theory has indicated that the degree to which people are proactive and autonomously motivated is largely a result of the socio-psychological conditions in which they grow and function. The theory, however, has paid limited attention to underlying psychological processes and mechanisms through which people become more (or less) autonomously motivated. Knowledge about these processes might be useful in attempting to understand the development of stable orientations toward initiation and regulation of behaviors (i.e., general causality orientations). Furthermore, such knowledge may be used as a guiding tool for promoting autonomous motivation and for extenuating controlled behaviors at the workplace. We draw on attachment theory and on recent developments in adult attachment research as we attempt to describe the attachment-related mechanisms that underlie the development of general causality orientations and to suggest ways by which this knowledge can be applied to support autonomous motivation in the work context. Specifically, we discuss two major psychological mechanisms that can shape the development of general causality orientations and context-specific autonomous motivation, which we refer to as a secure home base and a secure workplace base respectively. Throughout this review, we develop propositions that can be used to guide future studies on the mechanisms that promote autonomous task engagement.

Adult Attachment, Cognitive Appraisal, and University Students' Reactions to Romantic Infidelity

This study examined the relationships between adult attachment, cognitive appraisal, and university students' behavioral and emotional reactions to infidelity situations in romantic relationships. Results based on 173 university students suggested that both attachment and cognitive appraisals significantly predicted distinct types of infidelity reactions and that participants' cognitive appraisal mediated the effects of attachment on behavioral and emotional reactions. Counseling applications for university counselors are discussed on the basis of attachment perspectives and cognitive appraisal models.

The Pet Connection: An Attachment Perspective

Using the ethological-evolutionary framework of attachment, and including how the theory has been updated and expanded by findings from attachment-based research, neuroscience and animal studies, this paper proposes that a relationship with a family pet, especially a dog or cat, reflects certain dynamics of attachment which may account for the sense of comfort and connection they provide to individuals at all stages of the life cycle. There is now convincing scientific evidence that companion animals have positive effects on psychological and physical well-being, helping shape how people regulate their emotions, deal with stress or trauma, and relate to others. Discussion considers the implications of these benefits for social work, in particular for policy, prevention, and psychotherapy. An illustration of treatment for pet loss, as well as a framework for promoting attachment in pets adopted from rescue shelters, is also presented. It is recommended that both social work professionals and social work students be educated about the human-animal bond and the significance of pets to so many of our clients.

The Role of the Therapeutic Alliance in the Regulation of Emotion in Psychosis: An Attachment Perspective

This article aims to explore the value of attachment theory as a framework for understanding the ways in which the staff-patient relationship is associated with different methods of regulating emotion in individuals with a diagnosis of psychosis. Patient participants with a diagnosis of schizophrenia, schizoaffective disorder or psychosis not otherwise specified and mental health workers were recruited from 24-hour rehabilitation teams. Patient participants completed questionnaires assessing emotion regulation, attachment, therapeutic alliance and symptomatology. The therapeutic alliance was also assessed from mental workers' perspective. Insecure attachment was significantly associated with greater difficulties in regulating emotions. A strong therapeutic alliance was associated with fewer difficulties in regulating emotions. Attachment is a useful theoretical construct for understanding psychosis, with evidence for a link between a positive staff-patient relationship and enhanced emotion regulation. Clinical implications of these findings are discussed. The study supports a link between attachment organisation and psychosis, characterised by difficulties in emotion regulation. A positive patient-key worker relationship may facilitate the development of emotion regulation in this client group. A key implication of these findings is the training of MDT staff in the implementation of attachment-informed interventions.

Teacher–child relationships from an attachment perspective

This special issue aims to prompt reflection on the mutual contribution of attachment theory, on the one hand, and teacher–child relationship research, on the other, by bringing together conceptual and empirical contributions taking an attachment perspective on teacher–child relationships. In this introductory article, we contend that the teacher can be regarded as an ad hoc attachment figure with a safe haven and secure base function, although for most children the relationship with the teacher is probably not an attachment bond. Furthermore, we explain how attachment theory and research: (1) shape the way in which “high quality” teacher–child relationships are conceptualized and operationalized; (2) highlight the importance of teacher sensitivity to children's needs, as a central proximal determinant of relationship quality; (3) guide research hypotheses regarding the consequences of teacher–child relationship quality and the intervening mechanisms; and (4) inspire the development of interventions to improve teacher–child relationships.

Twin and Sibling Attachment in a Nationally Representative Sample

The objective of this research was to evaluate the hypothesis that twin relationships are attachments, using data from a nationally representative sample. The results indicated that twin siblings were more likely than nontwin siblings to be attached to their siblings. Moreover, analyses indicated that both attachment theoretical and inclusive fitness perspectives are necessary for explaining these findings. Namely, twins were more likely to be attached than nontwin siblings, as expected from an attachment perspective. But identical twins were more likely than fraternal twins to be attached to one another, as might be expected from an inclusive fitness perspective. Cross-sectional analyses indicated that older people are less likely than younger people to use their sibling as an attachment figure compared to younger people and that married adults are less likely to use their sibling as an attachment figure than nonmarried people.

An attachment perspective on psychopathology

In recent years, attachment theory, which was originally formulated to describe and explain infant-parent emotional bonding, has been applied to the study of adolescent and adult romantic relationships and then to the study of psychological processes, such as interpersonal functioning, emotion regulation, coping with stress, and mental health. In this paper, we offer a brief overview of the attachment perspective on psychopathology. Following a brief account of attachment theory, we go on to explain how the study of individual differences in adult attachment intersects with the study of psychopathology. Specifically, we review research findings showing that attachment insecurity is a major contributor to mental disorders, and that the enhancement of attachment security can facilitate amelioration of psychopathology.

Using Attachment Perspectives in Self Psychological/Intersubjective Clinical Work with Adolescents

Using Attachment Perspectives in Self Psychological/Intersubjective Clinical Work with Adolescents

Using Attachment Perspectives in Self Psychological/Intersubjective Clinical Work with Adolescents

Attachment theory and research can contribute to the self psychological/intersubjective approach to clinical work with adolescents. Focusing on affective interactions, several adolescent cases demonstrate how knowledge of the AAI (Adult Attachment Interview) can help practitioners recognize disturbed and disturbing affective interactions that serve as the conduit for intergenerational transmission of emotional dysfunction. Keywords: Attachment, adolescence, self psychology, intersubjectivity, AAI, affective interaction, intergenerational transmission

Caso Clínico: Evaluación e Intervención en un Caso de Ansiedad por Separación de una Niña Adoptada

Its reported the case of a 3,1 year girl of age adopted in Nepal with anxiety separation and behavior and attachment problems, especially during the last year. These difficulties interfere negatively in family dynamics. It makes a diagnosis of the child difficulties through a clinical interview, observation instruments and conduct standardized testing. With parents were used observation instruments in session and behavioral responses records from parents in relation to the child´s behaviors problem. The intervention was based on parent management training with the girl, with operant techniques and from an emotional development and attachment perspective. It describes the problem evolution and follow-up the case.

Implications of homelessness for parenting young children: A preliminary review from a developmental attachment perspective

Although it has been well-documented that parents and children who experience homelessness often have compromised health and well-being, few studies have examined the potential implications of homelessness on the process of parenting young children. In this review, we consider how parents of young children might function under the circumstances of homelessness. We begin with a brief overview of the psychological, social, and medical characteristics of homeless mothers and their young children. Using a developmental attachment perspective, we next briefly review the central tasks of parenting during the first 5 years of life, including emotion regulation and fostering of child autonomy, with an eye toward how homelessness may compromise a mother's ability to complete these tasks. Finally, we provide suggestions for further research that incorporate a developmental attachment perspective and other relevant viewpoints. Because of the paucity of research in this area, our review seeks to provide a heuristic framework for future research, intervention development, and policy.

Empirical study of destination loyalty and its antecedent: the perspective of place attachment

Due to the increasing competition in the leisure and tourism market, loyalty-related studies and researches have been gaining attention. This empirical research explores the formation of destination loyalty from the interaction of visitors with hot-spring resorts (place attachment) and examines the relationship between such a loyalty and its antecedents. Based on an attitude framework, this study conceptualizes place dependence, place identity, and behavioural intention as the tripartite framework of destination loyalty. Using the covariance structure analysis, empirical results indicated that the service quality–satisfaction–loyalty model is supported and tourist satisfaction completely mediates the effect of service quality on place dependence, place identity, and behavioural intention.

Pet in the therapy room: An attachment perspective on Animal-Assisted Therapy

John Bowlby's (1973, 1980, 1982) attachment theory is one of the most influential theories in personality and developmental psychology and provides insights into adjustment and psychopathology across the lifespan. The theory is also helpful in defining the target of change in psychotherapy, understanding the processes by which change occurs, and conceptualizing cases and planning treatment (Daniel, 2006; Obegi & Berant, 2008; Sable, 2004; Wallin, 2007). Here, we propose a model of Animal-Assisted Therapy (AAT) based on attachment theory and on the unique characteristics of human–pet relationships. The model includes clients' unmet attachment needs, individual differences in attachment insecurity, coping, and responsiveness to therapy. It also suggests ways to foster the development of more adaptive patterns of attachment and healthier modes of relating to others.

The Automaton Self: Defensive organisation, psychodynamics and treatment approaches

In this article, I discuss certain traits of a personality structure, termed the Automaton Self,1 that appear to emerge in order to defend the individual from awareness of particular thoughts, feelings and emotions. It is suggested that such defences are deployed following the absence of a basic human need having been met, namely relationships with others, principally the primary caregivers, built on mutual reciprocity, that subsequently facilitate the internalisation of symbolising capacities. Previously, I had discussed these defensive organisations, termed automata states, in relation to individuals who appeared to exhibit borderline personalities (Sweet, A.D. (2010). Automata states and their relation to primitive mechanisms of defence. Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy 24(2), 101–114). I did this from the perspectives of both object relations and attachment based theoretical modalities. The intra and inter-psychic manifestations of projective identification, indicative of the automaton defensive repertoire based on splitting, were linked to gross environmental impingements that these patients appeared to suffer, during their formative developmental years. In this article, a fuller exploration of the personality structure, termed the Automaton Self, is presented. Attention is given to the defensive functions of the self structure, the meta-psychological foundations of this particular personality organisation and the implications and practicalities for the psychotherapeutic treatment of individuals who appear to display this personality type.

“Not just a dog”: an attachment perspective on relationships with assistance dogs

We explored individuals' relationships with an assistance dog from an attachment-theory perspective. We used both inductive and deductive thematic methods to analyze semi-structured interviews with 25 participants who had lost an assistance dog to retirement or death. Analyses revealed attachment processes of safe haven, secure base, and separation anxiety. Although attachment dynamics were an important feature of these relationships, caregiving was equally important. When confronted with the loss of their dog, almost all participants experienced intense grief. Most grief responses were consistent with the loss of a caregiving relationship. Findings suggest that grief is a natural response to the loss of a beloved companion who fulfilled fundamental needs for attachment and caregiving.