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In this episode of This Might Help, we unpack attachment theory, exploring how our earliest relationships can shape the way we connect, communicate, and respond in adult relationships. Attachment styles have had a huge wave in pop culture and in the media. This episode breaks down the research behind attachment styles and how these patterns can show up in love, friendships, and work. We discuss how attachment styles are not fixed, and the practical, evidence-based ways people can move toward greater security and healthier relationships.
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The full video version of this episode is available on YouTube here: https://www.youtube.com/@thismighthelppodcast
Some of the key research we chat about can be found below:
Ainsworth, M. D. S., Blehar, M. C., Waters, E., & Wall, S. (1978). Patterns of attachment: A psychological study of the strange situation. Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.
Bartholomew, K., & Horowitz, L. M. (1991). Attachment styles among young adults: A test of a four-category model. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 61(2), 226–244. https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-3514.61.2.226
Bowlby, J. (1969). Attachment and loss: Vol. 1. Attachment. Basic Books.
Fraley, R. C. (2002). Attachment stability from infancy to adulthood: Meta-analysis and dynamic modeling of developmental mechanisms. Personality and Social Psychology Review, 6(2), 123–151. https://doi.org/10.1207/S15327957PSPR0602_03
Groh, A. M., Narayan, A. J., Bakermans-Kranenburg, M. J., Roisman, G. I., Vaughn, B. E., Fearon, R. M. P., & van IJzendoorn, M. H. (2017). Attachment and temperament in the early life course: A meta-analytic review. Child Development, 88(3), 770–795. https://doi.org/10.1111/cdev.12677
Hazan, C., & Shaver, P. (1987). Romantic love conceptualized as an attachment process. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 52(3), 511–524. https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-3514.52.3.511
Main, M., & Solomon, J. (1986). Discovery of a new, insecure-disorganized/disoriented attachment pattern. In M. Yogman & T. B. Brazelton (Eds.), Affective development in infancy (pp. 95–124).
Mikulincer, M., & Shaver, P. R. (2007). Attachment in adulthood: Structure, dynamics, and change. Guilford Press.
Roisman, G. I., Padrón, E., Sroufe, L. A., & Egeland, B. (2002). Earned-secure attachment status in retrospect and prospect. Child Development, 73(4), 1204–1219. https://doi.org/10.1111/1467-8624.00467
Some additional resources can be found here:
Attachment theory is the science of love | Anne Power | TEDxWaldegrave Road
Additional support can be found through:
Beyond Blue - https://www.beyondblue.org.au 1300 22 4636
LifeLine - https://988lifeline.org/get-help/ 13 11 14
Headspace - https://headspace.org.au 1800 650 890 (for those aged 25 or under)
