Individual attachment styles and the correspondence/compensation hypotheses in relation to depression and depressive experiences. Page: 11
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concentration and are less easily disturbed than those with histories of avoidant or anxious-
ambivalent attachment (Grossman & Grossman, 1990). Also, children classified as securely
attached at infancy reported at age 10 that they have at least one good friend who was
trustworthy and reliable, whereas those who had been classified as anxiously attached at infancy
either said they had no good friends or claimed that they had numerous friends, but were unable
to name even one of their friends (Grossman & Grossman, 1991). In addition, the anxiously
attached children reported more peer problems, such as being ridiculed or excluded. No
comparable data was reported for avoidantly attached children. Due to research findings that
indicate less distress and better functioning in life, the secure attachment style has come to be
considered "optimal."
Finally, it would be remiss to neglect the fact that Bartholomew and Horowitz (1991)
proposed a four-category model of adult attachment based on two types of internal working
models, an internal model of the self and an internal model of others. They posited that an
individual's images of self and other can be dichotomized as positive or negative. Therefore,
four attachment combinations can be conceptualized: Secure, Preoccupied, Fearful, and
Dismissing. Those classified as Secure possess both a positive image of the self and a positive
image of others. These individuals have a healthy self-esteem and are comfortable with
intimacy. Those categorized as Preoccupied possess a negative view of self, but a positive view
of others. These individuals lack self-assurance and self-esteem, but desire close interpersonal
relationships which leads them to become pre-occupied with external validation. Those
classified as Fearful possess a negative image of self and a negative view of others. They are
highly concerned with others' perceptions of them, but tend to expect rejection which leads them
to fear close relationships. Finally, those categorized as Dismissing hold a positive self image,11
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Hill, Mary Kathleen. Individual attachment styles and the correspondence/compensation hypotheses in relation to depression and depressive experiences., dissertation, August 2008; Denton, Texas. (https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc9092/m1/18/: accessed April 23, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, UNT Digital Library, https://digital.library.unt.edu; .