Resolving Attachment Injuries in Couples Using Emotionally Focused Therapy: A Three-Year Follow-Up

Abstract

Couples who seek therapy for marital distress often do so because they have suffered an attachment injury, characterized by an abandonment or betrayal during a time of critical need. This follow-up assessed the efficacy of the newly developed Attachment Injury Resolution Model based in Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT). Twelve couples with attachment injuries who received EFT were assessed to determine if the significant improvement in relationship distress observed in resolved couples at post-treatment would be maintained at 3-year follow-up. Results demonstrated that improvements in dyadic adjustment, trust, and forgiveness, as well as decreases in the severity of the attachment injury, were maintained over time. This follow-up study provides initial evidence of the long-term benefits of the Attachment Injury Resolution Model.