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The Relevance of Attachment Research for Adult Narratives Told in Psychotherapy

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Abstract

This paper discusses categories of attachment organization in infants, with an emphasis on the avoidant and disorganized/disoriented category. An example of how the avoidant infant attachment organization shows continuity throughout the lifespan is discussed. Finally, a case example of a man seen to have a dismissing/unresolved pattern of attachment organization is presented. In the ensuing discussion, the authors suggest that knowledge of infant attachment research can help therapists identify patterns that manifest in adult psychotherapy.

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Fish, B., Dudas, K. The Relevance of Attachment Research for Adult Narratives Told in Psychotherapy. Clinical Social Work Journal 27, 27–40 (1999). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1022857230196

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