<p>In the <a href="http://scielo.isciii.es/scielo.php?pid=S0213-61632006000400006&amp;script=sci_arttext" rel="nofollow noreferrer">introduction</a> to their study, Conradi et al. (2006) give a brief and very good overview over the different approaches to classify and measure attachment styles. I encourage everyone, who is interested in the subject to read it. However, since it is the answer to my question, I will summarise it here.</p>

<p>As I said in <a href="https://cogsci.stackexchange.com/questions/4382/classification-of-attachment-styles">my question</a>, research on attachment styles started with the classification by Ainsworth and Main, who were concerned with the infant-caregiver relationship. Later, an adult attachment focus was established by Hazan and Shaver. The paper then goes on to say that "after that, a bewildering variety of adult attachment typologies, adult attachment-related constructs, and measurement instruments" were developed. Within the adult attachment tradition, Bartholomew then "returned to Bowlby's original conceptualization of two working models", the <em>model of self</em> and the <em>model of other</em>. From these two bi-polar dimensions, the four attachment styles I mentioned in my question emerge. </p>

<p>Brennan and collegues "collected all adult attachment self-report scales known at that time", administered them to a sample of 1086 psychology students and found two underlying factors, which they call <em>attachment avoidance</em> and <em>attachment anxiety</em>. The 18 items with the highest loadings on each of the two factors were the combined to two subscales which form the <em>Experiences in Close Relationships Questionaire (ECR)</em>.</p>

<p>So, yes, the distinction between <em>attachment avoidance</em> and <em>attachment anxiety</em> is a different way of of studying attachment. The ECR (or the revised versions of it) seems to be a promising method for further study, because, as Fraley et al. (2000) mention, research has not supported a categorial model of attachment styles.</p>

<p>References:</p>

<p><sub>
Jan Conradi, H., Gerlsma, C., Duijn, M. V., &amp; Jonge, P. D. (2006). Internal and external validity of the experiences in close relationships questionnaire in an American and two Dutch samples. <em>The European journal of psychiatry, 20(4)</em>, 258-269. <a href="http://scielo.isciii.es/scielo.php?pid=S0213-61632006000400006&amp;script=sci_arttext" rel="nofollow noreferrer">HTML</a><br>
Fraley, R. C., Waller, N. G., &amp; Brennan, K. A. (2000). An item response theory analysis of self-report measures of adult attachment. <em>Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 78,</em> 350–365. doi:10.1037/0022- 3514.78.2.350 <a href="http://www.web-research-design.net/PDF/FW%26B2000.pdf" rel="nofollow noreferrer">PDF</a>
</sub></p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-09-11T08:55:17.140Z
2013-09-11T08:55:17.140Z
2017-04-13T12:56:16.167Z
Jens Kouros
<p>Please consider the work of Dr. Patricia Crittenden; "Dynamic-Maturational Model (DMM) of Attachment &amp; Adaptation". Based on the theoretical work of Bowlby, as a doctoral student, Dr. Crittenden, in concert with Dr. Ainsworth, began the foundational work of the DMM. The classification system appears to address the problem of "D" (e.g. "cannot classify", disorganized) by building out on the "A" and "C" classifications with an "AC" classification indicative of psychopathology. There are several papers and books which are accessible through the various internet booksellers, her papers are available in scholarly journals but some of her papers can be accessed through the Family Relations Institute website and the International Association for the Study of Attachment. Her work appears to have been neglected in the United States until recently. Consider her text, co-authored with Dr. Landini, "Assessing Adult Attachment" (2011, Norton Press). The DMM builds on the work of Bowlby and Ainsworth by incorporating the scientific developments in the cognitive neurosciences and proposes the "maturation", variation and change, of attachment over the lifespan. Drs. Ainsworth and Crittenden, early on (Crittenden and Ainsworth, 1989) in Crittenden's work stated, the classification of "D" (e.g. disorganized or cannot classify) "...if it occurred, would be transient and replaced by a context-adaptive strategies ..." (Crittenden and Landini, 2011). </p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-01-21T12:58:17.030Z
There may be some good stuff in here, but this answer is really hard to read!  A little formatting (paragraph breaks, bolding important text, separating out citations) would go a long way.
Krysta
CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-01-21T10:48:47.240Z
2015-01-21T10:48:47.240Z
Richard Fay
<p>The concept of attachment and different attachment styles has a long tradition in developmental psychology. Mary Ainsworth developed a classification for three different attachment styles that she called <em>secure</em>, <em>insecure-resistant</em> or synonymously <em>insecure-ambivalent</em> and finally <em>insecure-avoidant</em> (Main, 1996). Assessment of these styles is done with the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Attachment_measures#The_Strange_Situation">Strange-Situation-Test</a>. Later, a fourth style called <em>insecure-disorganized-disoriented</em> was introduced to account for a number of children that would not have been classifiable otherwise (Main &amp; Solomon, 1990). </p>

<p>A corresponding classification has also been developed for attachment styles in adults. The four styles here are called <em>secure-autonomous</em>, <em>dismissing</em>, <em>preoccupied</em> and <em>unresolved-disorganized</em> (Main, 1996). Assessment is done using the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Attachment_measures#Adult_Attachment_Interview_.28AAI.29">Adult Attachement Interview</a>. </p>

<p>Recently I have read a couple of papers that investigate the association between attachment styles and various forms of stress reactivity, that used the terms <em>attachment anxiety</em> and <em>attachment avoidance</em> (Selcuk et al., 2012; Ben-Naim et al., 2013; Ein-Dor et al., 2011). The authors explain what is meant by these terms. Those two <em>attachment orientations</em> as they are called are asses with the <em>Experience in Close Relationships Scales</em> (ECR, Fraley et al., 2000). I am confused as to how these terms fit into the picture of the attachment styles.</p>

<p><strong>Is this another classification of attachement styles?</strong></p>

<p>References:<br>
<sub>
Ben-Naim, S., Hirschberger, G., Ein-Dor, T., &amp; Mikulincer, M. (2013). An experimental study of emotion regulation during relationship conflict interactions: The moderating role of attachment orientations. Emotion, 13(3), 506–519. doi:10.1037/a0031473<br>
Ein-Dor, T., Mikulincer, M., &amp; Shaver, P. R. (2011). Attachment insecurities and the processing of threat-related information: Studying the schemas involved in insecure people’s coping strategies. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 101(1), 78–93. doi:10.1037/a0022503 <a href="http://www.researchgate.net/publication/50224821_Attachment_insecurities_and_the_processing_of_threat-related_information_Studying_the_schemas_involved_in_insecure_people%27s_coping_strategies/file/d922b4f572beebae86.pdf">PDF</a><br>
Fraley, R. C., Waller, N. G., &amp; Brennan, K. A. (2000). An item response theory analysis of self-report measures of adult attachment. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 78, 350–365. doi:10.1037/0022- 3514.78.2.350 <a href="http://www.web-research-design.net/PDF/FW%26B2000.pdf">PDF</a><br>
Main, M. (1996). Introduction to the special section on attachment and psychopathology: 2. Overview of the field of attachment. Journal of consulting and clinical psychology, 64(2), 237.<br>
Main, M., &amp; Solomon, J. (1990). Procedures for identifying infants as disorganized/disoriented during the Ainsworth Strange Situation. Attachment in the preschool years: Theory, research, and intervention, 1, 121–160.<br>
Selcuk, E., Zayas, V., Günaydin, G., Hazan, C., &amp; Kross, E. (2012). Mental representations of attachment figures facilitate recovery following upsetting autobiographical memory recall. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 103(2), 362–378. doi:10.1037/a0028125 <a href="http://selfcontrol.psych.lsa.umich.edu/papers/SelcukZayasGunaydinHazanKross12.pdf">PDF</a>
</sub></p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-08-25T10:11:58.453Z
@Damien Hmm,interesting. They use the terms I asked about. And from that website it seems that all styles are on one dimension with an ordering from "good" to "bad". That's yet another view.
Jens Kouros
<terminology><developmental-psychology>
Classification of Attachment Styles
Jens Kouros
# Classification of Attachment Styles

(Asked by: username_0 on 2013-08-23)

The concept of attachment and different attachment styles has a long tradition in developmental psychology. Mary Ainsworth developed a classification for three different attachment styles that she called *secure*, *insecure-resistant* or synonymously *insecure-ambivalent* and finally *insecure-avoidant* (Main, 1996). Assessment of these styles is done with the [Strange-Situation-Test](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Attachment_measures#The_Strange_Situation). Later, a fourth style called *insecure-disorganized-disoriented* was introduced to account for a number of children that would not have been classifiable otherwise (Main & Solomon, 1990).

A corresponding classification has also been developed for attachment styles in adults. The four styles here are called *secure-autonomous*, *dismissing*, *preoccupied* and *unresolved-disorganized* (Main, 1996). Assessment is done using the [Adult Attachement Interview](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Attachment_measures#Adult_Attachment_Interview_.28AAI.29).

Recently I have read a couple of papers that investigate the association between attachment styles and various forms of stress reactivity, that used the terms *attachment anxiety* and *attachment avoidance* (Selcuk et al., 2012; Ben-Naim et al., 2013; Ein-Dor et al., 2011). The authors explain what is meant by these terms. Those two *attachment orientations* as they are called are asses with the *Experience in Close Relationships Scales* (ECR, Fraley et al., 2000). I am confused as to how these terms fit into the picture of the attachment styles.

**Is this another classification of attachement styles?**

References:  
Ben-Naim, S., Hirschberger, G., Ein-Dor, T., & Mikulincer, M. (2013). An experimental study of emotion regulation during relationship conflict interactions: The moderating role of attachment orientations. Emotion, 13(3), 506–519. doi:10.1037/a0031473  
Ein-Dor, T., Mikulincer, M., & Shaver, P. R. (2011). Attachment insecurities and the processing of threat-related information: Studying the schemas involved in insecure people’s coping strategies. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 101(1), 78–93. doi:10.1037/a0022503 [PDF](http://www.researchgate.net/publication/50224821_Attachment_insecurities_and_the_processing_of_threat-related_information_Studying_the_schemas_involved_in_insecure_people%27s_coping_strategies/file/d922b4f572beebae86.pdf)  
Fraley, R. C., Waller, N. G., & Brennan, K. A. (2000). An item response theory analysis of self-report measures of adult attachment. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 78, 350–365. doi:10.1037/0022- 3514.78.2.350 [PDF](http://www.web-research-design.net/PDF/FW%26B2000.pdf)  
Main, M. (1996). Introduction to the special section on attachment and psychopathology: 2. Overview of the field of attachment. Journal of consulting and clinical psychology, 64(2), 237.  
Main, M., & Solomon, J. (1990). Procedures for identifying infants as disorganized/disoriented during the Ainsworth Strange Situation. Attachment in the preschool years: Theory, research, and intervention, 1, 121–160.  
Selcuk, E., Zayas, V., Günaydin, G., Hazan, C., & Kross, E. (2012). Mental representations of attachment figures facilitate recovery following upsetting autobiographical memory recall. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 103(2), 362–378. doi:10.1037/a0028125 [PDF](http://selfcontrol.psych.lsa.umich.edu/papers/SelcukZayasGunaydinHazanKross12.pdf)

**Tags:** terminology, developmental-psychology

> **Comments:**
> **username_0**: @Damien Hmm,interesting. They use the terms I asked about. And from that website it seems that all styles are on one dimension with an ordering from "good" to "bad". That's yet another view.  

---

## 2 answers

### Answer by username_0 on 2013-09-11. Score: 3

In the [introduction](http://scielo.isciii.es/scielo.php?pid=S0213-61632006000400006&script=sci_arttext) to their study, Conradi et al. (2006) give a brief and very good overview over the different approaches to classify and measure attachment styles. I encourage everyone, who is interested in the subject to read it. However, since it is the answer to my question, I will summarise it here.

As I said in [my question](https://cogsci.stackexchange.com/questions/4382/classification-of-attachment-styles), research on attachment styles started with the classification by Ainsworth and Main, who were concerned with the infant-caregiver relationship. Later, an adult attachment focus was established by Hazan and Shaver. The paper then goes on to say that "after that, a bewildering variety of adult attachment typologies, adult attachment-related constructs, and measurement instruments" were developed. Within the adult attachment tradition, Bartholomew then "returned to Bowlby's original conceptualization of two working models", the *model of self* and the *model of other*. From these two bi-polar dimensions, the four attachment styles I mentioned in my question emerge.

Brennan and collegues "collected all adult attachment self-report scales known at that time", administered them to a sample of 1086 psychology students and found two underlying factors, which they call *attachment avoidance* and *attachment anxiety*. The 18 items with the highest loadings on each of the two factors were the combined to two subscales which form the *Experiences in Close Relationships Questionaire (ECR)*.

So, yes, the distinction between *attachment avoidance* and *attachment anxiety* is a different way of of studying attachment. The ECR (or the revised versions of it) seems to be a promising method for further study, because, as Fraley et al. (2000) mention, research has not supported a categorial model of attachment styles.

References:

Jan Conradi, H., Gerlsma, C., Duijn, M. V., & Jonge, P. D. (2006). Internal and external validity of the experiences in close relationships questionnaire in an American and two Dutch samples. *The European journal of psychiatry, 20(4)*, 258-269. [HTML](http://scielo.isciii.es/scielo.php?pid=S0213-61632006000400006&script=sci_arttext)  
Fraley, R. C., Waller, N. G., & Brennan, K. A. (2000). An item response theory analysis of self-report measures of adult attachment. *Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 78,* 350–365. doi:10.1037/0022- 3514.78.2.350 [PDF](http://www.web-research-design.net/PDF/FW%26B2000.pdf)


---

### Answer by username_1 on 2015-01-21. Score: 0

Please consider the work of Dr. Patricia Crittenden; "Dynamic-Maturational Model (DMM) of Attachment & Adaptation". Based on the theoretical work of Bowlby, as a doctoral student, Dr. Crittenden, in concert with Dr. Ainsworth, began the foundational work of the DMM. The classification system appears to address the problem of "D" (e.g. "cannot classify", disorganized) by building out on the "A" and "C" classifications with an "AC" classification indicative of psychopathology. There are several papers and books which are accessible through the various internet booksellers, her papers are available in scholarly journals but some of her papers can be accessed through the Family Relations Institute website and the International Association for the Study of Attachment. Her work appears to have been neglected in the United States until recently. Consider her text, co-authored with Dr. Landini, "Assessing Adult Attachment" (2011, Norton Press). The DMM builds on the work of Bowlby and Ainsworth by incorporating the scientific developments in the cognitive neurosciences and proposes the "maturation", variation and change, of attachment over the lifespan. Drs. Ainsworth and Crittenden, early on (Crittenden and Ainsworth, 1989) in Crittenden's work stated, the classification of "D" (e.g. disorganized or cannot classify) "...if it occurred, would be transient and replaced by a context-adaptive strategies ..." (Crittenden and Landini, 2011).

> **Comments:**
> **username_2**: There may be some good stuff in here, but this answer is really hard to read!  A little formatting (paragraph breaks, bolding important text, separating out citations) would go a long way.  

---

