Fostering Attachment In Romantic Relationships Through Creative Art Therapies

Author

Mary HacheyFollow

Date of Award

5-22-2021

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

MA - Master of Arts

Department

Expressive Therapies

Advisor

Kelvin Ramirez

Abstract

Attachment theory examines the infant/caregiver’s relationship by the attachment style they develop in the first years of life. Over time, these same attachment styles affect adult romantic relationships. Bowlby defines four infant/children attachment styles as securely attached, anxious-ambivalent-insecurely attached, avoidant-insecurely attached, and disorganized-disoriented-insecurely attached. These four styles transferred into three main types for adults: secure, anxious-ambivalent, and avoidant. A couple’s relationship can become affected by personal values, behaviors, environmental situations, attachment styles, and beyond. This literature review discusses how couples behave, relate, and interact with one another based on their attachment styles and it also gives critical details on how communication, trust, and sex/intimacy play a role in making or breaking a relationship. It explained how expressive art therapy (ExAT) and dance movement therapy (DMT) could help couples rekindle their relationship should it go astray. This discussion portion recaps that attachment affects adult romantic relationships and touches upon ExAT recommendations, including studies with ExAT on attachment within adult romantic relationships, same-gender/diverse couples, attachment assessments, and additional ExAT interventions.

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 License.

Recommended Citation

Hachey, Mary, "Fostering Attachment In Romantic Relationships Through Creative Art Therapies" (2021). Expressive Therapies Capstone Theses. 509.
https://digitalcommons.lesley.edu/expressive_theses/509