eiseEducation

“We consider two measures representing an unintegrated sense of self – self-concept clarity and reflective functioning – and find that both play a role in moderating the mediating effects of adult disorganized attachment.” (Paetzold et al., 2021)

Adult attachment disorganisation was initially studied in the context infancy parental relationships. The initial measure of adult attachment [employing the ground-breaking Adult Attachment Interview (AAI)] was particularly valuable in predicting future attachments of new parents. This has commonly been referred to as intergenerational transmission phenomena. However, more recent research has expanded consideration of adult attachment disorganisation for grasping both adult general risk (e.g., Personality Disorders, mood difficulties, and dissociation) alongside a more granular focus on moderating notions of self-coherence, reflective functioning and emotion regulation. Hopes for enhancement of treatment are also increasing!

This webinar will look at current definitions, lifespan prevalence and possible developmental pathways for adult disorganisation and a more detailed survey of today’s more expanded measurements adult disorganisation. In addition to the AAI, several new tools will be discussed and elaborated. Practitioners should benefit from a more pluralistic mosaic composed of the more robust old and new measures. These should also enhance both assessment and treatment considerations. Two case studies will be presented that allow a more variable application of adult disorganisation: one focussed on dissociation and self, the other on emotional regulation.