Abstract
The self-regulation model (SRM) is introduced to inform the assessment and treatment of attachment trauma and addiction. By integrating Bowlby’s observations of attachment behaviors within a dialectical philosophy, addiction is seen as an attempt to regulate one’s attachment system in the service of adaptation. The SRM advances Bowlby’s observations by identifying the subsystems inherent to human self-regulation and adaptation: physiology, emotions, cognition, sense of self, interpersonal relatedness, and behavior. Evaluation of each subsystem provides a comprehensive self-regulation profile and a template for treatment. This is illustrated by the case of Dixie, a woman suffering from treatment resistant addiction.
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This article was supported by the following grant: Sarah Haley Memorial Fund.
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Padykula, N.L., Conklin, P. The Self Regulation Model of Attachment Trauma and Addiction. Clin Soc Work J 38, 351–360 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10615-009-0204-6
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10615-009-0204-6