Fourth, Mallinckrodt suggested providing counter-complimentary interventions when working with individuals with high attachment anxiety and avoidance. For example, Wei, Ku, and Liao discovered that those with attachment anxiety, because of their negative view of self, can increase their well-being through enhancing their self-compassion. Gilbert and Irons suggested that writing a compassionate letter to the self or making an audiotape filled with compassionate thoughts or self-soothing statements can increase self-compassion.
Also, those with high attachment anxiety can imagine how they felt when they were being taken care of by therapists or supportive others who represent alternative attachment figures.
Eventually, those with high attachment anxiety can learn to be their own attachment figures i. Conversely, because of their negative view of others and the deactivated attachment system e. Pistole , proposed the concept of care-giving from attachment theory as a metaphor for the counseling relationship and process. In other words, therapists can be empathetic to individuals with high attachment avoidance in order to re-parent them.
The therapists thus serve as role models for them so that these individuals can eventually learn to be empathetic to others, which may improve their subjective well-being.
Another study found that due to their negative view of self, assisting those with high attachment anxiety to increase their level of social self-efficacy i. Conversely, those with high attachment avoidance tended to be reluctant for self-disclosure and hold a negative view of others. For these individuals, the study confirmed that counter-complimentary interventions which enhances their comfort level of self-disclosing to others i.
Clinicians not only can help those with high attachment anxiety and avoidance to modify their ineffective coping strategy, but also can help them understand the underlying unmet needs that are satisfied by their ineffective coping strategy and learn alternative ways to satisfy their psychological or emotional needs e.
Moreover, clinicians need to know that people with different insecure attachment patterns i. Wei, M. The implications of attachment theory in counseling and psychotherapy. Bowlby, J. A secure base: Parent—child attachment and healthy human development. New York: Basic Books. Cassidy, J. Handbook of attachment: Theory, research, and clinical applications. New York: Guilford Press. Flett, G. Perfectionism in children and their parents: A developmental analysis. Hewitt Eds.
Gilbert, P. Focused therapies and compassionate mind training for shame and self-attacking. Later, when he got married and had children, he had a lot of trouble with his wife, as he felt suffocated when she asked him for emotional support. They had a lot of arguments as she felt that he was too cold with their children, and had no empathy.
Austin had a mixed attachment style, as he had been raised in quite a volatile household, where his mother was angry and violent and his father withdrawn and depressed. He had a lot of issues in his workplace, as he would sometimes have angry outbursts at colleagues when he felt frustrated or disrespected, and would also be quite sensitive to criticism or rejection.
Maybe you can see from these examples how attachment issues play out for us in our daily lives. Often even our most basic interactions are informed by our attachment — if I am an anxiously attached person, I might be really nice to people around me, in order to ensure that they continue to love and care for me.
If I have a dismissing attachment style, I might stop responding to text messages from someone I am interested in, because I am starting to feel trapped or suffocated.
So — what is the solution to this? It can be really challenging to address an issue like this, as our attachment is very deeply rooted in our personality and our behavior. The good news is that self-awareness is a good first step. Being aware of what kinds of things have shaped our object relations, can give us a clue to what belongs in the past, and what to pay attention to now.
Brigid had an anxious attachment, as she had a former partner who had been serially unfaithful to her and she felt that her ability to trust had been destroyed.
When she was triggered by an event e. Boyfriend being late, checking his phone, etc. How is it the same? Being able to sit with the awareness and notice her self-talk, made it possible for her to gradually change her responses. Over time, this became easier and easier, and although she still felt triggered from time to time, this was much less distressing and she was able to separate the past from the present.
In early years, this can translate to confidence in school and successful relationship building with teachers and peers. In older children, this can even correlate to stronger school performance, goal orientation and ability to work and cooperate successfully with peers. The Attached Family also highlights that successful attachment can also avoid poor outcomes in childhood development, such as dependency, misbehavior and excessive demands.
Conversely, insecure attachment can also impact childhood development, causing effects that can continue into adulthood. While one can imply the opposite behaviors may occur in a case where an insecure attachment has been formed, a Scholar Works project that interviewed 10 mental health clinicians found insecure attachment could also spur a significant number of negative outcomes that manifest in early childhood and often linger into adulthood, including:.
Instead of exhibiting social skills or emotional regulation, children with insecure attachments may strive to capture attention with distorted behavior — or hide distress altogether. This type of masking, or internalization, can trigger depression, anxiety and psychopathy in some cases as early as preschool, and can pave the path for an adolescence plagued by low self-esteem, exclusion and social rejection that can create a vicious cycle.
While serious, insecure attachment does not have to distort childhood and adolescent development permanently. Child advocacy professionals , including those in social work and psychology fields, can support interventions that can transform poor patterns, and partner with families to support a change by educating both the child and the caregivers to improve relationships over time.
Professionals can also strive to drive change at a broader level, by establishing educational programs for new parents and creating community awareness around the influence attachment has on overall childhood development. Get Our Program Guide If you are ready to learn more about our programs, get started by downloading our program guide now. First Name:. Their actions and responses to parents are often a mix of behaviors, including avoidance or resistance. These children are described as displaying dazed behavior, sometimes seeming either confused or apprehensive in the presence of a parent.
In contrast, emerging adults who have formed secure attachments to peers and parents are more resilient and better able to handle changes, both good and bad, Schnyders says. Skip to content Home » Trending » Why is it important to understand attachment theory?
Page Contents 1 Why is it important to understand attachment theory?
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