INVASIVE PARTNERS - AN EXPLORATION OF ATTACHMENT, COMMUNICATION AND FAMILY PATTERNS

Therapists' ratings on a sample of heterosexual couples receiving mari tal or partnership counselling were used to develop measures of 'invas ive' behaviour by the adults concerned. We suggest that this behaviour stems from difficulties in attachment and is marked by a desire to st ay close to the other person, difficulties in communication, difficult ies in handling relationships between three people, and problems assoc iated with the birth of a baby. A particular feature of this behaviour is that one or other partner attempts to restrict communication from the other, perhaps in order to avoid surprises which are perceived as a threat to the relationship. Invasiveness by wives was high in those couples who had had problems after the birth of a baby and significant ly lower in those who had not. Implications for practice are discussed .