Anxious (or preoccupied) attachment is characterized by intense fear of abandonment, constant need for reassurance, and difficulty trusting the other person's availability. The person monitors rejection signals in relational environments, gets easily activated by the other's distance, and tends toward demanding behaviors that sometimes create exactly what they fear most.
Concept origin
Ainsworth (1978) identified the anxious-ambivalent pattern in children with inconsistent caregivers — sometimes available, sometimes not. In adults, Hazan and Shaver (1987) transferred attachment patterns to romantic relationships. Downey and Feldman's (1996) "rejection sensitivity" index measures its cognitive correlate.
How it manifests
- ▸ Frequent need to confirm the other is still there and still cares
- ▸ Intense activation in response to distance or disagreement signals
- ▸ Tendency to interpret relational ambiguity as rejection
Therapeutic approach
Attachment-oriented therapy works on emotional regulation during abandonment activations and recognition of reactive cycles. Inner child work (Young) and emotion-focused therapy (EFT) help process early experiences of inconsistency.
Related concepts
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