No description available.

Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Delaware, 2007. / Principal faculty advisor: Mary Dozier, Dept. of Psychology. Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (Ph.D.)--Liberty University, 2009. / Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Texas at Austin, 2002. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references. Available also from UMI Company.

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A total of 321 young adult sibling dyads (104 male-female, 108 male-male, and 109 female-female) and 131 singletons completed a set of questionnaires examining the sibling relationship from an attachment perspective. Four central research findings are presented: First, attachment to sibling was significantly correlated with parenting, adult attachment self-model, satisfaction with social support, frequency of contact, and personality traits. Specifically, increased independence encouragement and acceptance by parents, decreased maternal rivalry, a more positive self-model, larger and more satisfying social support networks, and greater frequency of contact between siblings were related to greater quality of attachment to sibling. Also, higher levels of NEO Agreeableness, Conscientiousness, Extraversion, and Emotional Stability were positively correlated with attachment to sibling. Second, there was considerable reciprocity in the attachment relationship for all pair types (r = .58) indicating that siblings' ratings of the quality of their attachment to each other tend to correspond quite highly. Third, more positive self- and other-models were related to increased ratings of positive relationship variables such as affection, emotional support, and satisfaction, and decreased ratings of negative relationship variables such as antagonism, quarreling and alienation. Fourth, concordance rates in attachment self- and other-models were very low, indicating that siblings do not resemble each other in the attachment dimensions. However, siblings appear to describe each other's attachment models relatively accurately, and perceive themselves as having similar self- and other-models to their siblings. Findings are discussed in terms of theoretical advancements for attachment theory and the sibling literature, and practical implications for fostering positive sibling relationships.

Bowlby's notion that client secure attachment to the therapist leads to deeper client exploration, is considered an important corner stone of the therapeutic process. Psychotherapy researchers have neglected the study of therapist contributions and observer perspectives when studying this important therapeutic phenomenon. Studies of therapeutic secure base have shown that there is a relationship between client general attachment patterns and those with therapist, as well as that this secure attachment to therapist relates to deeper sessions. The main objectives of the present research was to extend the study of secure base in therapy to include consideration of therapist attachment processes and to improve the methodology used in attachment research by adding the expert observer perspective to operationalize session exploration. The first study explored the secure base hypothesis, the transference hypothesis and the role of therapist attachment in the process. Sixty-seven clients and therapists in-training, in short term therapy, completed the Experiences in Close Relationship Scale (ECRS), the Client Attachment to Therapist Scale (CATS), Working Alliance Inventory (WAI), and a measure of session depth; the Session Evaluation Questionnaire-Depth subscale. In line with Bowlby's (1988) secure base hypothesis, secure attachment to therapist was significantly associated with session depth. Therapist insecure adult attachment was negatively associated with client secure attachment to therapist. / The second study addressed methodological limitations found in previous studies by using both client and expert observer perspectives in the operationalization of session exploration. Thirty-one clients assessed depth in the middle sessions of their short-term therapies and rated their attachment to their therapists. Raters assessed experiencing in the same sessions using the Experiencing Scale. Secure attachment to therapist was positively and significantly associated with experiencing levels. However, the two perspectives on session exploration did not converge, suggesting that each taps a distinct aspect of session exploration and underlining the importance of rater perspective in the operationalization of this construct. Taken together, the results of these two studies offer a strong support for the secure base hypothesis. Clinical and research implications are discussed.

Thesis (M.A.)--University of Hawaii at Manoa, 2004. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 34-40). / v, 40 leaves, bound 29 cm

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Kansas State University, 2005. / Title from electronic thesis title page. Includes bibliographical references (p. 100-113).

Thesis (M.S.)--Villanova University, 2007. / Psychology Dept. Includes bibliographical references.