Attachment in Couple's Relationship: Representation of Intimacy and Couple's Interaction

Abstract

Adopting Bowlby’s attachment theory as the framework to the study of couples’ relationships, there has been a growing interest of research regarding the specific contribution attachments plays in adult intimate relationships. Generally, two different research approaches may be distinguished: a representational and a behavioural onde, focused on specific features of couple’s interaction. This paper adresses the relation between the quality of representation of the intimate relationship and the behviour within this relational contexto, using the Intimate Relationship Interview (Lima, Vieira, Soares & Collins, 2005) and the Couple Interaction Task (Collins, Hennighausen, Madsen & Roisman, 1998). Preliminary data suggest a relation between the quality of representation of the intimate relationship and the specific attachment behaviours, emphasizing the relevance of combining multiple assessment methods when considering attachment in adult intimate relationships.

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.17575/rpsicol.v20i1.377