Search research articles

ABOUT JoVE

Overview Leadership Blog JoVE Help Center

AUTHORS

Publishing Process Editorial Board Scope & Policies Peer Review FAQ Submit

LIBRARIANS

Testimonials Subscriptions Access Resources Library Advisory Board FAQ

RESEARCH

JoVE Journal Methods Collections JoVE Encyclopedia of Experiments Archive

EDUCATION

JoVE Core JoVE Business JoVE Science Education JoVE Lab Manual Faculty Resource Center Faculty Site

Terms & Conditions of Use

Search research articles

Related Experiment Videos

Attachment in an interpersonal context

¹Institute of Psychiatry, De Crespigny Park, London, UK.

The British Journal of Medical Psychology

|October 6, 1997

Summary

This summary is machine-generated.

Related Concept Videos

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by

Same author

Personality disorders and the interpersonal octagon.

The British journal of medical psychology·2001

Same author

Parental bonding.

The British journal of psychiatry : the journal of mental science·1994

Same author

Does recollection of exposure to poor maternal care in childhood affect later ability to relate?

The British journal of psychiatry : the journal of mental science·1993

Same author

The negative relating of depressed patients: a new approach.

Journal of affective disorders·1992

Same author

Depression and the environment.

British journal of hospital medicine·1992

Same author

Further exploration of the relationship between depression and dependence.

Journal of affective disorders·1991

Same journal

Neurosis in escaped prisoners of war.

The British journal of medical psychology·2010

Same journal

A comparative study between the effects of analysis and electrical convulsion therapy in a case of schizophrenia.

The British journal of medical psychology·2010

Same journal

Treatment of a severe chronic phobic neurosis in general practice.

The British journal of medical psychology·2010

Same journal

Reaction types in maladjusted children; some clinical observations with reference to play therapy.

The British journal of medical psychology·2010

Same journal

Male psychology.

The British journal of medical psychology·2010

Same journal

Psychological aspects of cooking for oneself.

The British journal of medical psychology·2010

See all related articles

This study introduces a new theory of adult relating, proposing dependence as the adult form of attachment. It outlines an octagonal model for understanding interpersonal dynamics and negative relating patterns.

Area of Science:

Psychology
Social Psychology
Clinical Psychology

Background:

Attachment theory, primarily child-centered, has limitations in explaining adult relationships.
Dependence is proposed as the adult counterpart to attachment, sharing closeness-seeking and upwardly directed components.

Purpose of the Study:

To develop a new theory of adult relating based on attachment and dependence.
To construct an interpersonal model with horizontal (closeness-distance) and vertical (upward-downward) axes.
To differentiate between positive and negative relating and explore its application to personality disorders and psychotherapy.

Main Methods:

Development of a theory of relating based on attachment and dependence.
Construction of an octagonal model of relating objectives, analogous to the interpersonal circle.

Related Experiment Videos

Description of three classes of negative relating and their connection to animal and human behavior.

Tentative accommodation of 10 DSM-IV personality disorders within the octagonal structure.

Description of psychotherapy based on interpersonal theory and two measurement instruments.

Main Results:

An octagonal model of relating objectives is created, distinguishing positive and negative relating.
Continuities between animal and human relating are established.
The model provides a framework for understanding DSM-IV personality disorders.
Two questionnaires are introduced for measuring general and couple-specific negative relating.

Conclusions:

The proposed theory offers a novel framework for understanding adult relating and interpersonal dynamics.
The octagonal model and distinction between positive and negative relating have implications for psychotherapy and personality disorder assessment.
The developed instruments show potential for measuring therapeutic change in interpersonal relating.