ATTACHMENT PATTERNS IN THE PSYCHOTHERAPY RELATIONSHIP - DEVELOPMENT OF THE CLIENT ATTACHMENT TO THERAPIST SCALE

A panel of 9 therapists generated items for an instrument designed to measure the psycholtherapy relationship from the perspective of attach ment theory. The initial version of the Client Attachment to Therapist Scale (CATS) contained 100 items that were administered at 4 counseli ng agencies in survey packets to 138 clients who had completed at leas t 5 sessions with their therapists. Factor analysis suggested that 36 items loaded on 3 subscales, which we labeled Secure, Avoidant-Fearful , and Preoccupied-Merger. CATS factors correlated in expected directio ns with survey measures of object relations, client-rated working alli ance, social self-efficacy, and adult attachment. Cluster analysis ide ntified 4 types of client attachment. Significant differences in socia l competencies (object relations, etc.) were evident across types of a ttachment. Implications of attachment patterns for the understanding o f client transference are discussed.