ABSTRACT
Mary Ainsworth was influenced by John Bowlby’s reformulation of Attachment Theory to the extent that in 1963 she embarked on an observational project, the thoroughness of which no researcher has since equalled: the now famous Strange Situation Test. Securely attached children seem to trust that the missing parent will return. Children who have an ambivalent attachment status tend to be suspicious of strangers, display considerable distress when separated from a parent or caregiver but do not seem reassured or comforted by their return. Children with an avoidant attachment style appear to avoid parents and caregivers especially after a period of absence. Children with a disorganised-insecure attachment style manifest a mixture of responses to caregivers, including avoidance or resistance. A couple psychotherapist may find it useful to consider the attachment styles of each member of the couple and how these may be influencing the couple’s functioning.
