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Disorganised Attachment Theory

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Disorganised Attachment Theory
This is characterised by the child keeping at a distance from the caregiver, and displaying little distress at separation. This occurs when the primary care figure is inconsistent, and does not provide the child a secure base (Passer & Smith 2013, p. 432).
Thirdly, an ambivalent/resistant attachment is when a child displays extreme distress when separated from the primary caregiver, however the child also seeks and rejects contact (Passer & Smith 2013, p. 432). This is due the caregiver not encouraging their child to explore, so the child remains emotionally dependent, but reluctant to explore.
Lastly, an insecure/disorganised attachment is seen through the child having no strategy for handling distress (Passer & Smith 2013, p. 432). This is due to the child seeing their parent or caregiver as comforting and/or frightening. Therefore, the child has no strategy of meeting the needs of being cared for and to engage in play (Passer & Smith 2013, p. 432).
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31). Hazan & Shaver studied multiple couples to investigate the attachments between the couple, and then observed how the couple would react to varied stressors and stimuli (Bennett & Nelson 2010, p. 31). This lead to the four classifications for adult attachment being developed, the Adult Attachment Interview (AAI) which is a semi-structured interview assessing the strategies for identifying, and protecting the self from perceived dangers, in relation to intimate relationships (Bennett & Nelson 2010, p.

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