Attachment Ruptures as the Result of Insecure Attachment Style in a Couples’ Relationship

Attachment theory may be useful in numerous ways in psychological research, theory, and practice. The theory has been applied to psychotherapy and to romantic relationships; specifically, it has been applied to the field of couple psychotherapy and the trauma of infidelity. Attachment theory has been able to shed greater light into the motivations behind affairs and the multiple difficulties couples face when repairing relationships after infidelity. In particular, the effects of attachment styles on these types of ruptures in relationships draws attention to the need to better understand couples’ internal working models. This paper explores a couple in treatment who struggled to cope with infidelity. The paper addresses the individual attachment styles of each partner, what led to the infidelity, and how prior attachments influenced the couple’s ability to cope with this attachment trauma in treatment.

Author

• Golshani, Nooshin

Keyword

• Attachment
• Couples
• Infidelity
• Attachment Theory
• Insecure Attachment
• Psychology

Date created

• 2004

Type of Work

• Dissertation

License

• Attribution 3.0 United States

Rights statement

• In Copyright

GW Unit

• Professional Psychology

Degree

• Ph.D.

Committee Member(s)

• Aleshina, Yulia
• Marmarosh, Cheri

Persistent URL

•  https://scholarspace.library.gwu.edu/etd/9k41zf10s