The Attachment Script Assessment: Introduction of a coding system to evaluate deactivation, hyperactivation, and...

Area of Science:

• Psychology
• Developmental Psychology
• Attachment Theory

Background:

• Assessing adult attachment is crucial for understanding adult functioning.
• The Adult Attachment Interview (AAI) is comprehensive but resource-intensive.
• The Attachment Script Assessment (ASA) is a more accessible alternative, but lacks detailed dimensions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To introduce a complementary coding system for the ASA.
• To assess attachment deactivation, hyperactivation, and anomalous content using ASA.
• To explore the convergence of these ASA scripts with attachment insecurity and disorganization patterns.

Main Methods:

• Development of a new ASA coding system.
• Application of the coding system to assess specific attachment script characteristics.
• Conceptual analysis linking ASA scripts to established attachment classifications.

Main Results:

• The new ASA coding system effectively identifies attachment deactivation, hyperactivation, and anomalous content.
• These ASA-derived scripts show conceptual convergence with patterns of attachment insecurity and disorganization.
• The ASA, with this new system, offers a resource-effective method for detailed adult attachment assessment.

Conclusions:

• The enhanced ASA coding system provides a nuanced and resource-effective approach to assessing adult attachment.
• This method expands the utility of ASA beyond a single security dimension.
• Findings support the integration of ASA with established attachment frameworks for a comprehensive understanding of adult attachment.