The psychotherapy relationship as attachment: Evidence and implications

Journal of Social and Personal Relationships

Volumn 27, Issue 2, 2010, Pages 262-270

  Mallinckrodt, Brent ^a  

^a UNIVERSITY OF TENNESSEE   (United States)

Author keywords

Affect regulation; Client attachment to therapist; Therapeutic distance

Indexed keywords

EID: 77949884186     PISSN: 02654075     EISSN: 14603608     Source Type: Journal    
DOI: 10.1177/0265407509360905     Document Type: Article

References (24)

1. Bowlby, J. (1980). Attachment and loss, Vol. III: Loss. New York: Basic Books.
2. Bowlby, J. (1988). A secure base: Parent-child attachment and healthy human development. London: Routledge.
3. Daly, K.D., & Mallinckrodt, B. (2009). Experienced therapists' approach to psychotherapy for adults with attachment avoidance or attachment anxiety. Journal of Counseling Psychology, 56, 549-563.
4. Daniel, S.I.F. (2006). Adult attachment patterns and individual psychotherapy: A review. Clinical Psychology Review, 26, 968-984.
5. Dozier, M., Cue, K.L., & Barnett, L. (1994). Clinicians as caregivers: Role of attachment organization in treatment. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 62, 793-800.
6. Farber, B.A., & Metzger, J.A. (2009). The therapist as secure base. In J. H. Obegi & E. Berant, (Eds.), Attachment theory and research in clinical work with adults (pp. 46-70). New York: Guilford Press.
7. Fuertes, J.N., Mislowack, A., Brown, S., Gur-Arie, S., Wilkinson, S., & Gelso, C.J. (2007). Correlates of the real relationship in psychotherapy: A study of dyads. Psychotherapy Research, 17, 423-430.
8. Gelso, C.J., & Carter, J.A. (1994). Components of the psychotherapy relationship: Their interaction and unfolding during treatment. Journal of Counseling Psychology, 41, 296-306.
9. Greenson, R.R. (1967). The technique and practice of psychoanalysis (Vol. 1). Madison, CT: International Universities Press.
10. Janzen, J., Fitzpatrick, M., & Drapeau, M. (2008). Processes involved in client-nominated relationship building incidents: Client attachment, attachment to therapist, and session impact. Psychotherapy: Theory, Research, Practice, and Training, 45, 377-390.
11. Joyce, A.S., Piper, W.E., Ogrodniczuk, J.S., & Klein, R.H. (2007). Patient characteristics and variations in termination processes and outcomes. In Termination in psychotherapy: A psychodynamic model of processes and outcomes (pp. 109-131). Washington, DC: American Psychological Association.
12. Kinsler, P. J., Courtois, C. A., & Frankel, A. S. (2009). Therapeutic alliance and risk management. In C. A. Courtois & J. D. Ford (Eds.), Treating complex traumatic stress disorders: An evidence-based guide (pp. 183-201). New York: Guilford Press.
13. Mallinckrodt, B. (2000). Attachment, social competencies, social support, and interpersonal process in psychotherapy. Psychotherapy Research, 10, 239-266.
14. Mallinckrodt, B., Gantt, D.L., & Coble, H.M. (1995). Attachment patterns in the psychotherapy relationship: Development of the Client Attachment to Therapist Scale. Journal of Counseling Psychology, 42, 307-317.
15. Mallinckrodt, B., Porter, M.J., & Kivlighan, D.M., Jr. (2005). Client attachment to therapist, depth of in-session exploration, and object relations in brief psychotherapy. Psychotherapy: Theory, Research, Practice, and Training, 42, 85-100.
16. Mann, J. (1973). Time-limited psychotherapy. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.
17. Marmarosh, C.L., Gelso, C.J., Markin, R.D. Majors, R., Mallery, C., & Choi, J. (2009). The real relationship in psychotherapy: Relationships to adult attachments, working alliance, transference, and therapy outcome. Journal of Counseling Psychology, 56, 337-350.
18. Mikulincer, M., & Shaver, P.R. (2007). Attachment in adulthood: Structure, dynamics, and change. New York: Guilford Press.
19. Obegi, J. H., & Berant, E. (2009) (Eds.) Attachment theory and research in clinical work with adults. New York: Guilford Press.
20. Romano, V., Fitzpatrick, M., & Janzen, J. (2008). The secure-base hypothesis: Global attachment, attachment to counselor, and session exploration in psychotherapy. Journal of Counseling Psychology, 55, 495-504.
21. Teyber, E. (in press). Interpersonal process in therapy: An integrative model (6th ed.). Belmont, CA: Thomson Brooks/Cole.
22. Tyrrell, C.L., Dozier, M.,Teague, G.B., & Fallot, R.D. (1999). Effective treatment relationships for persons with serious psychiatric disorders: The importance of attachment states of mind. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 67, 725-733.
23. Vogel, D.L., & Wei, M. (2005). Adult attachment and help-seeking intent: The mediating roles of psychological distress and perceived social support. Journal of Counseling Psychology, 52, 347-357.
24. Woodhouse, S.S., Schlosser, L.Z., Crook, R.E., Ligiero, D.P., & Gelso, C.J. (2003). Client attachment to therapist: Relations to transference and client recollections of parental care-giving. Journal of Counseling Psychology, 50, 395-408.