Attaching and detaching

Question 1

Basic premises of attachment and detachment

Answer 1

1. Humans are pirmarily object seeking
2. The human context is one of relatedness
3. “To be” is to mean something to someone else
4. A human being is a message that becomes alive when understood

Question 2

Define attachment:

Answer 2

Attachment is connecting with someone in an emotionally significant manner
-A relatively enduring emotional bond with another person that forms in response to exposure, interaction, and familiarity

Question 3

Define Detachment

Answer 3

Disconnecting from another - normal part of attachment/detachment

• enables us to distance ourselves from threats, increase autonomy,
• may involve a sense of loss

Question 4

Problems with too much attachment

Answer 4

Loss of autonomy
Loss of identity
Inability to move on
Dependency

Question 5

Problems with too little attachment

Answer 5

Loss of connection
Loneliness
isolation
loss of meaning

Question 6

What are the three key things for attachment?

Answer 6

Exposure
Interaction
Familiarity

Question 7

Characteristics of attachment

Answer 7

person specific
persistent
Emotionally significant

Question 8

Behaviors indicative of attachment and how they are activated

Answer 8

Proximity seeking
Separation protest

These are activated by internal distress or external threat

Question 9

Determinants of attachment hierarchy

Answer 9

• Quantity of time spent and repetition
• Quality of care
• Emotional investment of adult in child
• Responsiveness of adult

Question 10

Core functions of attachment

Answer 10

1. Protection/survival
   - Provide safe haven
   - secure base
2. Regulation of physiological arousal and emotional distress
3. Sense of self
4. Mentalizing.

Question 11

Safe haven

Answer 11

A place that provides protection, comfort.

• hurts healed
• be totally known
• sanctuary from problems

Question 12

Secure Base

Answer 12

promotes exploration, refueling, support.

-Secure attachment

Question 13

Regulation

Answer 13

Help keep a child’s emotions within manageable bounds

-fosters development of child’s self regulation

Question 14

Mirroring

Answer 14

The process of understanding how we are being experienced by another person, in a way that is affirming to us.

Question 15

Mentalizing

Answer 15

The process of making sense of one’s own mind and the mind’s of others.

Question 16

Cycle

Answer 16

The process of matching with another, with the formation of a bond. The bond is then broken due to some event, and the relationship repairs itself.

This occurs often.

Question 17

Effects of attachment on physical/psychological well being

Answer 17

• Allows us to feel connected to others.
• Experience a sense of being loved
• Feel part of a larger whole

Question 18

Effects of loss on physical/psychological well being

Answer 18

• Distance ourselves if too close
• Reduce emotional intensity
• Experience autonomy
• Anxiety, pain, despair.
• Cumulative losses may manifest themselves in physical symptoms.
• OR may erupt in outburst