Using Cognitive Therapies to Treat Unstable Attachment Patterns in Adults With Childhood Histories of Social Rejection

This article describes the treatment of 5 adults exhibiting unstable attachment patterns, attributed to their repeated experiences with childhood social rejection from their family and peers. A child's attachment to his or her caregiver often determines the quality of his or her peer relationships, which serve to develop the child's self-beliefs and his or her social environment. This social cognition has been shown to influence one's choice of friends and intimate relationships. Satisfying social affiliations are a key component to achieving positive physical and mental health outcomes throughout life. In the cases described in this article, treatment was focused on changing social cognition to a more functional template from which the person could transact satisfying intimate social relationships, thereby yielding more positive outcomes.