Relationship: Understanding the phenomenon.

Relationship: Understanding the phenomenon, guide for the clinician.

Samiul Hossain Clinical Psychologist II

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Outline:

Understanding the phenemenon. Assessment. Treatment.

Why relationship?

It is a complicated phenomenon. Lot's of case received with this kind of this problem. Stable relationship can be key to productivity. Pattern of relationship has been changing over the years.

Perspective of relationship: Theoritical aspect.

Attachtment Theory: Bowlby(1973) proposed this theory. It proposed a model about infant-caregiver relationship. The relationship depend on the attachtment's figure's availability and proximity during various experiences or circumstances. Adult attachtment theorise that, partners replace the parents as the primary attachtment figure in romantic relationship( Seluck, Zayas & Hazan,2010)

Adult attachtment is a dynamic concept. There are three model to describe the concept. Life stress model.

Proposed by Bowlby( 1969). It stated that life events and circumstances that are emotionaly significant can change attachtment security

Life stress model.

Proposed by Bowlby( 1969). It stated that life events and circumstances that are emotionaly significant can change attachtment security as adaption to the new condition occurs. Negative life events such as perception of loss associated with events and moods found to be associated with greater insecurity on a day to day basis( Davila & Sargent, 2003)

Social Cognitive Model

Proposed by Baldwin, Keelan, Fehr, Enns and Koh-Rangarajoo( 1996). It said that, change in attachtment security is result of changing state of minds. It highlights the temporal, state like features. Different levels of attachtment wil be reported at different points in time depending upon what is activated in their minds( Adams & Baptist, 2012) The recollection of life events that activate feeling of loss will activate insecure attachtment( Davila et al,1999)

Individual difference model.

Pathological individual difference can affect the attachtment. People who experienced parental divorce are more prone to change in their attachment levels( Davila, Burge & Hammen, 1997).

Adutl attachment: two continums

Anxiety: The strong desire to receive attention from partner with a deep fear about relationship and partner failing to meet those needs. Avoidance: The difficulty finding comfort in close psychological and emotional intimacy. It also featured by independence within the relationship( Rholes & Simpson, 2004; Brennan, Clark & Shaver,1998).

Types of adult attachtment

Bartholomew and Horowitz( 1991) coceptualized four styles of adult attachment. Secure.( Low levels of anxiety and avoidance) Preoccupied.( High anxiety and low avoidance) Fearful.( High in anxiety and avoidance) Dismissing. ( Low anxiety and high avodiance)

Why attachment?

Numerous studies suggests that adult attachment can influence relationship so many way. Such as: relationship satisfaction( Hazan & shaver, 1987,1994) Sexual satisfaction, intimacy( Mickelson, Kessler& Shaver,1997). Communication( Collins & Read,1990) Conflict Resolution styles( Shi, 2003)

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Propensity for domestic violence( Weston,2008). Secure attachment contribute to relationship stability( Karakurt,2012)

Relationship maintenance

Relationship need to be maintained as like automobile need to be maintained. Relationship maintenance behaviour help to sustain the relationship in different stage. It also prevent deterioration and repair relationship( Dainton & Stafford,1993) It can be performed either stratigically to produce specific outcome or routinely;performed with no specific outcome.(Dainton & Stafford,1993

Relationship Maintenance

Use of this behaviour can be perceived by other partner as an indication of quality of relationship( Canary & Stafford,1993). It also predicts liking one's partner, commitment in relationships and relationships satisfaction.( Ramirez;2008)

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Studies have identified severeal relationship maintenance behaviour. Such as: Positivity( Being optimistic and hopeful about the relationship) Opennes( Desire to disclose information to one partner) Assurances. Social networks( Use common friendships to gain support and keep the relationship enjoyable)

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Sharing tasks( Sharing household duties and completing shared reponsibilities) These behaviours can be affected by the partner's attachment pattern( Adams & Baptist, 2012)

Common relationship problems

Infedility: It is most damaging act in the relationship and most difficult to treat( Whisman, Dixon and Johnson,1997). Therapists estimate that 50-65% of their practice involved couples that have problems with infedility and mentioned that it is the leading problem in rlational therapy( Hertlein, Weeks & Gabescia, 2009)

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Infidelity often measured by the act that breaks the agreement of sexual monogamy between two individuals who either married, dating or in a committed relationship( Wetchler & Piercy, 2005)

Types of infidelity

Emotional affair: When the partner spends emotional resources like love, time and attention to other individual. Sexual affair or Physical infidelity: When one partner involved in sexual activity with somebody other than primary partner. Combined type: It has greatest threat to the relationship ( Glass and Wright, 1985)

People scored higher in anxcious attachment were more likely to participate infidelity( Bogaert & Savada,2002). Males with dismissive attachment styles and female with preoccupied attachment styles had higher numbers of extradyadic relationship outside of their primary relationship( Allen & Baucom, 2004) People with Fearful and preoccupied attachment style more likely to practice in infidelity( Fish, Pavkov, Wetchler & Berick,2012)

Preoccupied individuals fear of abandonment and always seek closeness, approval from others to validate their sense of self worth( Ross, McKim & DiTommaso, 2006; Bartholomew & Horowitz,1991). So they can involve infidelity to validate their self worth.

Emotional reactivity also have an impact on infidelity. Parental infidelity also have an impact.

How to build a stable relationship?

There are broad range of factors found to be associated with stable relationship. There are multifaceted factors associated with relationship stability.

Kaakurt's Model.