Mary Salter Ainsworth (1913-1999) was an American-Canadian developmental psychologist, a direct collaborator of John Bowlby in the empirical formulation of Attachment Theory. Her most recognized contribution is the development of the 'Strange Situation' experiment, published in 1978, which for the first time allowed empirical measurement of attachment styles in young children.
The Experiment: a 12-18 month old child goes through a structured series of separations and reunions with their caregiver in the presence of a stranger. The child's behavior at each moment classifies their attachment style into four categories: secure (effective seeking and comfort), anxious-ambivalent (difficulty calming down), avoidant (apparent independence that masks deactivation), and disorganized (Mary Main later added this category).
Implication for the field of trauma: the attachment styles identified by Ainsworth remain relatively stable into adulthood and predict patterns of romantic relationships, vulnerability to trauma, and capacity for emotional self-regulation. It is the basis of adult attachment psychology.
For Constelando, her work offers a scientific framework to understand the clinical effects of the 'interrupted bond' that Family Constellations systematically address.
Bibliography
- Patterns of Attachment — Mary Ainsworth et al.. Lawrence Erlbaum, 1978.
- Attachment — Volume I of the trilogy on attachment and loss — John Bowlby. Paidós, 1969 (orig. English 1969).
These books are in the reference library that nourishes Constelando el Origen.
Related terms
John Bowlby
British psychiatrist and psychoanalyst (1907-1990). Founder of Attachment Theory. His work is the scientific basis for working with early bonding and attachment trauma.
View detailsInterrupted bond
An early rupture in the bond between a child and their primary attachment figure—usually the mother—that leaves a deep systemic imprint.
View detailsTransgenerational trauma
Pain or trauma not processed by one generation that is transmitted—psychically, somatically, and, according to recent evidence, epigenetically—to subsequent generations.
View detailsA session that names what hurts
If you recognize this dynamic in your own story, a Family Constellation can reveal where it comes from and what movement can bring order to it. Daniela accompanies each case with respect.
Sessions in Spanish only