Attachment and Family Therapy Byng-Hall, J. (1999). Family therapy and couple therapy: Toward...

Attachment and Family Therapy

Byng-Hall, J. (1999). Family therapy and couple therapy: Toward greater security. In J. Cassidy & P. R. Shaver (Eds.), Handbook of attachment: Theory, research, and clinical applications (pp. 625-645). New York: Guilford Press.

Dr. Ronald J. Werner-Wilson

Introduction

Byng-Hall reports that Bowlby was “a steadfast supporter of family therapy” (based on Byng-Hall, 1991).

Family therapists have neglected attachment theory. This may be due to emphases on dyads rather than whole-family functioning.

Main purpose of chapter: Identify ways that the family either increases

or undermines family members sense of security.

Describe family therapy goals that are consistent with attachment.


Attachment in the Family and Couple System:Conceptual Issues

Ways of Studying Family Attachment Patterns Studying relationships in families is complex.

In a family of three, there are only three dyadic relationships influencing each other.

In a family of four, there are fifteen dyadic relationships influencing each other.

In a family of eight, there are three-hundred and seventy eight dyadic relationships influencing each other.

Family therapy theorists and researchers have suggested that it is important to investigate triads.

Attachment in Adults: Two Research Approaches Adult attachment to children: awareness of

this literature contributes to greater understanding of parent-child relationship.

Adult romantic attachment: awareness of this literature facilitates understanding intimate relationship between adults.


Security in the Family: The Concept of a Secure Family Base

From a family systems perspective, Byng-Hall suggests that the family contributes to attachment by providing a secure family base.

Definition of secure base: “a family that provides a reliable and readily available network of attachment relationships, and appropriate caregivers, from which all members of the family are able to feel sufficiently secure to explore their potential” (1999, p. 627).

Byng-Hall suggests that there are two factors associated with a secure family base. First, he suggests that there is a shared

awareness that attachment relationships are important and care for others is a priority in the family.

Second, he contends that family members should support one another in providing care for each other.


The Concept of a Secure Family Base (cont.)

Factors that Undermine a Secure Base in Families Fear of losing an attachment figure or actual

loss of an attachment figure.

A child clings to one caregiver and rejects relationships with other caregivers. Byng-Hall refers to this as “capturing” an attachment figure.

Turning to an inappropriate attachment figure (i.e., if one parent is not supporting the other parent, a child may be used as an attachment figure).

Conflict within relationships, particularly abusive relationships.

Negative self-fulfilling prophecies: there is an expectation that losses from other generations will be repeated.


Correspondence Between Types of Attachment

Child AttachmentStyle

Adult ParentingAttachment Style(AAI)

Adult RomanticAttachment Style

Couple and FamilyRelationshipCharacteristics

Secure: limited distress; continuedexploration afterinitial reunion

Secure: dev.- approp. interac.;recognizes sig. ofattachment; parentis sensitivelyresponsive to child

Autonomous/ Free

Flexible distanceregulation;adaptableinteraction styles;shared initiation forcontact.

Avoidant: child appears indifferent

Dismissing: dismissive aboutattachment;withdrawn andrejecting parentstyle

Avoidant Distant andwithdrawn;disengagedinteractions;avoidance ofemotional orphysicalcloseness

Resistant or Ambivalent: child appears distressed,preoccupied withcaregiver &“clingy”

Preoccupied: recognizes sig. ofattachment, butpreoccupied withpast; parent appearsangry; parent isintermittentlyavailable

Ambivalent/ Preoccupied

Overly close andintrusiverelationships;enmeshed; mutualmonitoring; blurredboundaries and rolereversal

Disorganized/ Disoriented: difficult tocategorize reunionexperience (80% ofmaltreated youth)

Unresolved/ Disorganized: frightened bymemory of pasttrauma promotesmomentarydissassociation;scripts child into“past drama”

No commoninteractionstrategies, but couldinclude approach-avoidance conflictstyle; disorientedinteractions;dissociation.


Links Between Family Therapy Concepts and Attachment Research Both approaches emphasize significance

of caregiving, communication, joint problem solving, and mutuality in relationships.

Aspects of the Circumplex model of family functioning seem consistent with attachment theory.

Family therapy theory descriptions of family organizational style (e.g., enmeshed, disengaged) seem consistent with research findings on attachment.


Systems Theory as a Framework for Thinking about Attachments

Family interaction cycles influence attachment.

Circular causality (e.g., feedback loops) in family systems influences mutuality.

Family rules and organizational structures influence aspects of attachment (e.g., caregiving behavioral system, exploratory behavioral system, and attachment behavioral system).

Distance Regulation in the Family System “Too Close – Too Far” Couple and Family

Systems Triangulation of Others as Distance

Regulators Illnesses and Emotional Problems that

Become Distance Regulators


Providing a Secure Therapeutic Base

This is similar to the idea in object relations family therapy of developing a “safe container” for therapy.

Availability of the therapist: therapists should be regularly available to clients throughout their clinical experience and communicate to them that s/he we will continue to be available to them in the future.

Roles of the therapist: Byng-Hall suggests that the therapist will serve as an attachment figure to family members.

Exploring the relationship to the therapist Therapists become part of the family system

during therapy so we should pay attention to our influence.

“Feeling understood is crucial to family members’ establishing secure attachments to the therapist” (Byng-Hall, 1999, p. 636).


Working with Current Significant Relationships

Reframing the meaning of attachment strategies: A competence-based approach Byng-Hall suggests that it may be helpful to

normalize difficulties associated with attachment.

“Attachment theory can offer explanations that are clear to both therapist and family, and that make sense out of what may be otherwise perplexing. For instance, a child who is angry, demanding, and controlling is often seen as intentionally bad, but the child can be seen in a different light if described as insecure and trying to make sure he or she is in the parents’ minds when he or she feels unloved and unlovable” (1999, p. 636).


Working with Current Significant Relationships (cont.)

Creating a more coherent narrative style in the family: in addition to providing reframes, Byng-Hall contends that therapists should attend to signficant relationships by promotimg more coherent narratives for the family. Narrative therapy techniques would be particularly helpful.

Comparing Past and Present: Understanding Developmental Pathways “Exploring the connections between stories of

what happened in past generations and what is happening now in the session can help the therapist and the family members to elucidate what comes from the past, and the to assess whether or not behaving in old ways I helpful now” (Byng-Hall, 1999, p. 639).

This is similar to Murray Bowen’s recommendation to “embrace” family history in order to promote differentiation.

Attachment and Family Therapy Byng-Hall, J. (1999). Family therapy and couple therapy: Toward...

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