ABSTRACT
This chapter aims to introduce the reader to this aspect of attachment theory and research. It begins with a summary of the empirical evidence concerning the genesis of early attachment disorganization, proceeds to reviewing the evidence linking early disorganized attachment to adult psychopathology characterized by fragmentation of the self. The disorganized internal working models (IWM) represents caregivers' responses to the child's need for help and comfort that are unpredictable, uncontrollable, and frightening without solution. Conceptualization might be summarized as follows: while the patients' traumatic memories and disorganized IWM distort the construing of the therapeutic dialogue, the metacognitive deficit hampers the usefulness of psychodynamic interpretations. The less threatening interpersonal context the patient might perceive within the second therapeutic setting could facilitate a better understanding of mental states. The chapter ends with a reflection on some of the implications of these empirical studies for psychotherapy.
