Comparing the perceived experience of attachment to the childhood caregiver and adult partner

Abstract

The aim of this dissertation is to explore the link between the attachment formed in childhood between the child and their primary caregiver, and the attachment the same individual forms as an adult with their romantic partner of five or more years. A qualitative research design was adopted, and six semi-structured interviews were carried out, three with males and three with females. The data obtained was then analysed using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis, as described by Smith et al. (2022). Through analysis, five superordinate themes emerged: mother as main caregiver, words that echo, dancing the same dance with someone new, a rock can still get carried by the waves, and it takes a village. The first three were found to contain subordinate themes within them. One particularly interesting finding that emerged from the data was that there is a clear link in behaviour and traits beginning in childhood being carried over to adulthood.