PSY 322 5-2 Short Paper Attachment Styles

5-2 Short Paper: Attachment Styles

Brynne Nicholas

Southern New Hampshire University

PSY 322: Adolescent Development

Instructor Joseph Wilner

October 2, 2022

According to attachment theory, a person's relationship with their primary caregivers lays the

groundwork for how they will maintain their future relationships. The four types of attachment

disordered, and anxious attachment types being considered as insecure. When a child cannot rely

develop one of the three insecure attachment types. On the other hand, when a child is able to

rely on their parents to consistently meet his or her needs, a secure attachment style will

generally be developed (Mandriota, M., 2021).

When a child grows up with parents or caregivers who are unavailable emotionally, strict, or

absent, the child will develop an avoidant attachment style which will carry over into

result are significantly independent in relationships (Mandriota, M., 2021).

As a result of neglect, fear, abuse, or trauma in childhood, a disorganized attachment style will

cause an individual to be untrusting of others and exhibit inconsistent behavior. This will be

carried over into adolescence and adulthood where the individual with this attachment style may

show signs of both an avoidant attachment and anxious attachment styles in their relationships.

For the individual’s partner, the individual’s behavior seems confusing or unpredictable. The

individual may at one point seem overly clingy and then shift to being too independent as they

reject and seek out emotional intimacy from their partners because they fear love but still want it

from their partners. (Mandriota, M., 2021).

As a result of inconsistent parenting not attuning to his or her needs as a child, an individual will

adult, the individual will depend on his or her partner for validation and emotional regulation

fear of abandonment or rejection in the relationship. There is a consistent fear of abandonment

and rejection in the adult relationships of individuals with an anxious attachment style. This

often results in the individual exhibiting behaviors that seem smothering or overly clingy to his

or her partner (Vollmann, M., Sprang, S., & van den Brink, F., 2019).

When a child grows up in a home environment in which he or she feels comfort, safety, value,

with their partners. They do not become too independent, nor do they become co-dependent

when in a relationship (Mandriota, M., 2021).

When an individual has developed an insecure attachment style (avoidant, disorganized,

anxious), he or she has the ability to eventually have happy, lasting relationships if they are able

to identify, learn and heal from having it. The individual must accept why they feel the way they

do about relationships and be able to do the work necessary for healing. This can be done with

cognitive behavioral therapy or CBT (Bottaro, 2022).

References

Bottaro, A. (2022, April 20). How to Heal an Insecure Attachment Style. Verywell Health.