Can You Change Your Attachment Style?

Attachment style is stable over the lifespan, but attachment behaviors and internal relationship models change in 30% of people.

Behaviors can be modified to counter effects of attachment style.

Intensity of attachment orientation changes.

The changes are mediated via:

Quality of relationships, type of partner
Traumas
Therapy
Personality Disorders
Life Crises

REFERENCES

Chopik, W. J., Edelstein, R. S., & Grimm, K. J. (2019). Longitudinal changes in attachment orientation over a 59-year period. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 116(4), 598–611. https://doi.org/10.1037/pspp0000167

Attachment styles and close relationships: A four-year prospective study
Lee A. Kirkpatrick, Cindy Hazan
Personal Relationships: Journal of the International Association for Relationship Research, June 1994, https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1475-6811.1994.tb00058.x

Australian Journal of Educational & Developmental Psychology. Vol 11, 2011, pp. 60- 77
Attachment across the life span: Factors that contribute to stability and change
Megan McConnell, McGill University and Ellen Moss, Université du Québec a Montréal

Why does attachment style change? J Davila 1, D Burge, C Hammen
Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, J Pers Soc Psychol. 1997 Oct;73(4):826-38

Personality and Social Psychology Review
Revising Working Models Across Time: Relationship Situations That Enhance Attachment Security
Ximena B. Arriaga, Madoka Kumashiro, Jeffry A. Simpson, et al.
First Published June 2, 2017

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

John B. Separation, anxiety and anger. In: In Attachment and Loss: Volume II. The Hogarth press and the institute of psycho-analysis; 1973:1-429.

Bretherton I. Updating the ‘internal working model’ construct: Some reflections. Attachment & Human Development. Published online December 1999:343-357. doi:10.1080/14616739900134191

Pietromonaco PR, Barrett LF. The Internal Working Models Concept: What do we Really know about the Self in Relation to Others? Review of General Psychology. Published online June 2000:155-175. doi:10.1037/1089-2680.4.2.155

Bartholomew K, Horowitz LM. Attachment styles among young adults: A test of a four-category model. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology. 1991;61(2):226-244.

Macfie J, Mcelwain NL, Houts RM, Cox MJ. Intergenerational transmission of role reversal between parent and child: Dyadic and family systems internal working models. Attachment & Human Development. Published online March 2005:51-65. doi:10.1080/14616730500039663

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