Clients’ Attachment Styles and Therapy Outcomes

A growing body of research shows that clients’ attachment styles have an important effect on therapy outcome. Therapists who can recognize and adapt to the different kinds of attachment styles – and therapists who can recognize their own attachment styles – will have a better chance at cutting down on premature terminations. They will also be more adept and proactive at avoiding ruptures to the alliance and more quickly repairing them. Knowing each client’s attachment style and being able to respond empathically and strategically will help keep each client engaged in therapy.

This intermediate course for psychologists, social workers, and counselors who work with children, adolescents and adults has been entirely revised and is comprised of six Taylor & Francis articles that are presented in written format. The course is comprised of four sections.

In the first section, a discussion of views of attachment theory are presented along with a discussion of the ways various practitioners agree and disagree on what is fundamental to both the theory itself and working with clients. The next section discusses ways in which attachment models impact and interact with therapeutic processes. Section three discusses how attachment styles impact specific conditions that often are a focus of therapeutic intervention. The final section discusses the importance of evolving research and practice of attachment theory in ways that recognize the experiences and context of African American families.