Therapeutic relationship affiliation: Influence of the therapist’s attachment styles

Abstract

Our research concentrated on ascertaining the influence of the therapist’s attachment styles on the affiliation of the therapeutic relationship (hate – love dimension). 33 psychotherapists and trainees of different psychotherapeutic schools, as well as 90 of their clients were involved in the research project. Therapists and clients filled out the following assessment instruments: Structural Analysis of Social Behaviour – Intrex, (Benjamin, 2000), Relationship Scales Questionnaire for attachment style assessment (Griffin & Bartholomew, 1994) and Factors of Therapeutic Relationship Survey (Kobal, 2002). The results showed the influence of the therapist’s attachment styles on the way the client and the therapist perceived their own affiliation and the affiliation of the partner within the therapeutic relationship (hate – love dimension). A therapist’s preoccupied and dismissive attachment style contributed to more hostile interpersonal behaviour, whereas a therapist's fearful attachment style consistently contributed to moderate affiliative behaviour (moderate comprehension, support, trust, exposure). A therapist’s dismissive attachment style led both clients and therapists to rate the affiliation of the therapeutic relationship as lower. A therapist’s fearful attachment style led only to their (not to their client’s) more negative assessment of the affiliation of the therapeutic relationship. The results showed no significant influence of a therapist's secure attachment on the therapist's and client's assessment of affiliation.