Examining the Relationship between Attachment and Depression in Terms of Various Variables: A Theoretical Study

Abstract

Self-psychology concept, developed by Heinz Kohut, is now seen as one of the most fundamental psychoanalytic theories. Kohut’s theory of self psychology and Bowlby’s attachment theory emphasizes the importance of early care giving relationship and how this has a profound effect on the development of a healthy sense of self and relationship in adulthood. In this study, it is aimed to explain the concept of self-object in self-psychology and attachment theory in detail. In this context, in order to examine the effects of self-object and attachment dimensions, the literature findings related to attachment and self-object with depression, anxiety and subjective well-being and the possible mediator effect of emotion regulation in these relationships were investigated. Suggestions were made for future research.

Keywords

• attachment
• self-object
• subjective well-being
• emotion regulation