Attachment styles

Attachment styles in adults

Attachment theory was extended to adult romantic relationships in the late 1980s by Cindy Hazan and Phillip Shaver. Four styles of attachment have been identified in adults: secure, anxious-preoccupied, dismissive-avoidant, and fearful-avoidant. These roughly correspond to infant classifications: secure, insecure-ambivalent, insecure-avoidant, and disorganized/disoriented. Adult attachment styles are related to individual differences in the ways in which adults experience and manage their emotions. Recent meta-analyses link insecure attachment styles to lower emotional intelligence and lower trait mindfulness. Additionally, subsequent research extended attachment theory to adult relationships, suggesting that consistent experiences with supportive and responsive partners can enhance attachment security and contribute to greater psychological resilience over time. However, childhood attachment does not reliably persist into adulthood. A meta-analysis found no significant stability when attachment was measured more than 15 years apart.