The developmental roots of narrative expression in therapy: Contributions from attachment theory and research

A central element in many forms of psychotherapy is the narrative articulation of client experience. From both theory, training, and practice, clinicians learn that structural aspects of client narratives may reveal important information about the client, but there is still limited research-based knowledge on this topic. This article explores and discusses the relevance of attachment theory and research to understanding structural and stylistic aspects of client narration in adult psychotherapy. Research into patterns of narrative expression identified by the Adult Attachment Interview (AAI) suggests that the emotional tone and structural organization of narratives are related to patterns of information processing and affect regulation originating in experiences in attachment relationships. Attachment research thus holds the potential of linking client in-session narration to findings in developmental psychology. Clinical implications of the AAI-related research are discussed in terms of the therapeutic significance of narrative coherence and the possible meaning of different kinds of narrative incoherence. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved).