The relationship among attachment representation, emotion-abstraction patterns, and narrative style: A computer-based text analysis of the adult attachment interview

The main aim of this research was to test the discriminant capacity of comp uter-based, linguistic text measures which are economically compilable (Emo tion-Abstraction Patterns, Mergenthaler, 1996 Computerized Referential Acti vity, Mergenthaler & Bucci, 1999) in differentiating between complex attach ment representations in the Adult Attachment Interview (Main & Goldwyn, 199 4). The study of N = 40 healthy controls produced the consistent result tha t, of the two insecure attachment categories, the group "dismissing" (n = 1 0) showed the lowest means on all text measures, whereas the group "preoccu pied" (n = 10) showed the highest means. The mean of the attachment group " secure" (n = 20) lay between these groups. This ranking is consistent with the results sf studies which had another research focus, showing deactivati on or hyperactivation of attachment-relevant information in both insecure a ttachment groups, as well as flexibility in the "secure" group. We also dis cuss whether the coincidence of language markers for emotion and abstractio n, as well as Computerized Referential Activity, is adequate to operational ize the construct of coherence in narrative style.