Attachment begins to be established and shaped with the primary caregiver in early life and plays a significant role in a person’s emotional, cognitive, and interpersonal relationships later in life. Attachment is an emotional bond that a person develops with the caregiver as a safe base for themselves. For the child, this bond serves as a safe haven to take refuge in and a base to return to in order to explore the world. The caregiver’s sensitive or insensitive responses to the child’s signals lead to the establishment of secure or insecure attachment. Accordingly, the type of relationship the caregiver establishes with the child plays a critical role in determining the type of attachment (Bowlby, 1979).
Anxious attachment develops when a caregiver is inconsistent, unpredictable, and not regularly available, demonstrating this through their attitudes and emotionally conveying it to the child. Because the child does not receive consistent and balanced attention and acceptance, they cannot predict when the caregiver will be available and supportive, becoming sensitive and developing intense anxiety about loss. These recurring situations lay the groundwork for the formation of fundamental false beliefs such as, “I am not worthy of love, I am worthless, I can be abandoned at any moment” (Bowlby, 1979). According to Ainsworth’s Strange Situation Test findings, children with an anxious attachment style experience intense anxiety when their caregiver leaves the environment. However, after the caregiver returns, a search for closeness, anger, and restlessness develop. These contradictory behaviors experienced by the child stem from the caregiver being sometimes supportive and available, and sometimes unavailable (Dalgar et al., 2022). As a result of these negative early experiences, the child develops a belief that the attachment figure is not always available and experiences anxiety. Therefore, the attachment system remains chronically active, and the child begins to experience this anxiety continuously.
As a result of the caregiver’s contradictory behavior, the child develops internal cognitive and emotional working models about themselves and others. Individuals with an anxious attachment model experience negative self-image and excessive sensitivity toward others. These individuals do not see themselves as worthy of love, attention, or being valued by others. They interpret other individuals in their environment as valuable but unattainable (Bowlby, 1979).
The internal models that the child develops as a result of the contradictory and inconsistent caregiver behavior also shape the individual’s future behaviors and emotional responses. The most frequently observed behaviors in individuals with an anxious attachment style include constantly seeking reassurance in relationships, exaggerating and misinterpreting any different behavior of the partner, and being overly vigilant about the possibility of abandonment. Thus, the individual begins to experience significant stress in their relationships and experiences emotional fluctuations more frequently, significantly reducing the quality of the relationship (Bowlby, 1979).
Anxious attachment style becomes particularly pronounced in romantic relationships during adulthood. These individuals invest intense emotion in their partner, tend to interpret every behavior, spend a great deal of time dwelling on what is said, and generally tend to interpret things negatively. Furthermore, anxiously attached individuals feel a constant need for communication, attempting to alleviate their internal anxiety by remaining in constant contact. If these needs are not met for any reason, they experience intense anxiety, stress, and frustration. These individuals also exhibit high levels of jealousy and excessive control toward their partner. They may perceive their partner’s behavior as a threat of abandonment, even if it is not, and as a natural consequence of this perception, they may exhibit overly controlling and dependent behaviors. This creates pressure on the other person, leading to a vicious cycle in the relationship. Additionally, the partner may withdraw, and the individual may experience even more anxiety (Bowlby, 1979). Over time, these relationship patterns can reinforce insecurity and relational instability.
Various psychological problems are observed in individuals with anxious attachment, and these problems are related to the anxious attachment style. In particular, conditions such as generalized anxiety disorder, social anxiety, and depressive symptoms are closely associated with anxious attachment. These individuals have a low tolerance for uncertainty and may experience intense anxiety in situations they cannot control (Kobak & Bosmans, 2018).
Understanding anxious attachment is crucial for psychotherapy processes. Attachment-based therapies and cognitive behavioral approaches play a significant role in bringing an individual’s relationship experiences to a more secure and healthy position. Providing a safe environment in the therapeutic relationship facilitates the individual’s ability to change and restructure their attachment-related thoughts (Amani, 2025). In this context, strengthening emotional regulation skills becomes a key therapeutic target.
Anxious attachment is a form of attachment that stems from early childhood experiences and reduces the quality of an individual’s interpersonal relationships and social life. It manifests itself particularly in romantic relationships in adulthood and affects emotional regulation and psychological well-being. Therefore, understanding and restructuring this attachment style is crucial for clinical interventions and preventive mental health studies.
References List
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Amani, M. (2025). The effectiveness of cognitive-behavioral family therapy on communication skills, family functioning, and conflict resolution styles in couples with insecure attachment style. KMAN Counseling & Psychology Nexus, 3, 1–9. https://doi.org/10.61838/kman.fct.psynexus.3.5
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Bowlby, J. (1979). The Bowlby–Ainsworth attachment theory. Behavioral and Brain Sciences, 2(4), 637–638. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0140525X00064955
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Dalgar, G., Civil, F., Savaş, E., & Şahin, A. (2022). Erken çocuklukta bağlanma: John Bowlby ve Mary Ainsworth açısından incelenmesi. Avrasya Sağlık Bilimleri Dergisi, 5(1), 85–92. https://doi.org/10.53493/avrasyasbd.885024
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Kobak, R., & Bosmans, G. (2018). Attachment and psychopathology: A dynamic model of the insecure cycle. Current Opinion in Psychology, 25, 76–80. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.copsyc.2018.02.018