Attachment Traumatology: Interpersonal neurosynchronistic phylogenesis
Abstract
Orientation: Dyadic trauma is contagious. Converging neurosynchronistic constructs and the application of attachment focused-somatic experiencing (AF-SE) to traumatised dyads have revealed phenomena that required examination of the relationship between trauma, attachment and community psychopathology. Research purpose: The phylogenetic impact of trauma on attachment is under-reported in attachment traumatology. The purpose of the study was to introduce the theory of dyadic trauma, and SPA and interpersonal neurosynchronistic phylogenesis (INP) as constructs to explain the relationship between trauma, attachment and community psychopathology. Motivation for the study: Widespread loneliness and loss of social cohesion indicate significant, trauma-driven phylogenetic shifts in secure phylogenetic attachment (SPA). Interpersonal neurosynchronistic constructs emerged to elucidate the phenomena. Research approach/design and method: Conceptualisation based on a synthesis of pertinent research provided for an analysis with theory adaptation as an approach. Secure phylogenetic attachment transposed interpersonally is compromised by maladaptive-interpersonal neurosynchronistic phylogenesis (M-INP). Attachment traumatology was chosen as the domain theory and INP as the method theory. Main findings: Maladaptive-interpersonal neurosynchronistic phylogenesis is complicit in community psychopathology. It was found that INP served as a valuable method theory in generating new insights regarding dyadic trauma, attachment and psychopathology. Three unique categories of attachment, namely SPA, the antithesis of trauma, traumatic and monozygotic attachment were proposed. Implications for practice: Attachment traumatologists are provided with a theoretical model, dyadic trauma and descriptive terminology to elucidate the phylogenetic impact of trauma on attachment. Contribution/value add: Specific nomenclature described the interpersonal neuro-dynamics of INP and its functional role in traumatic attachment thereby indicating a paradigm shift in attachment traumatology.
Keywords: attachment focused-somatic experiencing; dyadic trauma; dyadic completion; interpersonal neurosynchronistic phylogenesis; loneliness; monozygotic attachment; monozygotic attunement
Metadata Record
References 32
- Atzil, S., & Gendron, M. (2017). Bio-behavioural synchrony promotes the development of conceptualized emotions. Current Opinion in Psychology, 17, 162–169. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.copsyc.2017.07.009
- Australian Bureau of Statistics. (2022). Census of population and housing: Census dictionary (ABS Catalogue No. 2901.0). Retrieved from https://www.ausstats.abs.gov.au/ausstats/subscriber.nsf/0/4D2CE49C30755BE7CA2581BE001540A7/$File/2016%20census%20dictionary.pdf
- Badenoch, B. (2018b). Safety is the treatment. In S.W. Porges & D. Dana (Eds.), Clinical applications of the polyvagal theory (pp. 73–88). W.W. Norton.
- Bowlby, J. (1969). Attachment (Vol.1). Basic Books.
- Brom, D., Stokar, Y., Lawi, C., Nuriel-Porat, V., Ziv, Y., Lerner, K., & Ross, G. (2017). Somatic experiencing for posttraumatic stress disorder: A randomized controlled outcome study. Journal of Traumatic Stress, 30(3), 304–312. https://doi.org/10.1002/jts.22189
- Cacioppo, J.T., Cacioppo, S., Capitanio, J.P., & Cole, S.W. (2014). The neuroendocrinology of social isolation. Annual Review of Psychology, 66, 733–767. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-psych-010814-015240
- Deng, X., Lin, M., Zhang, L., Li, X., & Gao, Q. (2022). Relations between family cohesion and adolescent-parent’s neural synchrony in response to emotional stimulations. Behavioral and Brain Functions, 18, 11. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12993-022-00197-1
- Feldman, R. (2017). The neurobiology of human attachments. Trends in Cognitive Science, 21(2), 80–99. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tics.2016.11.007
- Flores, P.J., & Porges, S.P. (2021). Group psychotherapy as a neural exercise: Bridging poly vagal theory and attachment theory. In S.W. Porges (Eds.), Polyvagal safety: Attachment, communication, self-regulation (pp. 138–154). W. W. Norton & Co.
- Holt-Lunstad, J., Smith, T.B., Baker, M., Harris, T., & Stephenson, D. (2015). Loneliness and social isolation as risk factors for mortality: A meta-analytic review. Perspectives on Psychological Science, 10(2), 227–237. https://doi.org/10.1177/1745691614568352
- Leitch, M.L. (2007). Somatic experiencing therapy with tsunami survivors in Thailand: Broadening the scope of early intervention. Traumatology, 13(3), 1–10. https://doi.org/10.1177/1534765607305439
- Kinreich, S., Djalovski, A., Kraus, L., Louzoun, Y., & Feldman, R. (2017). Brain-to-Brain Synchrony during Naturalistic Social Interactions. Scientific Reports, 7, 17060 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-017-17339-5
- Leitch, M.L., Vamslyke, J., & Allen, M. (2007). Somatic experiencing treatment with social service workers following hurricane Katrina and Rita. National Association of Social Work, 54(1), 9–18. https://doi.org/10.1093/sw/54.1.9
- Levine, P.A. (2010). In an unspoken voice: How the body releases trauma and restores goodness. North Atlantic Books.
- Levine, P.A. (2015). Trauma and memory: Brain and body in a search for the living past; A practical guide for understanding and working with traumatic memory. North Atlantic Books.
- Parker, C., Doctor, R.M., & Selvam, R. (2008). Somatic therapy treatment effects with tsunami survivors. Traumatology, 14(3), 11–20. https://doi.org/10.1177/1534765608319080
- Payne, P., Levine, P.A., & Crane-Godreau, M.A. (2015). Somatic experiencing: Using interoception and proprioception as core elements of trauma therapy. Frontiers of Psychology, 6(93), 1–18. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2015.00093
- Porges, S.W. (2011). The polyvagal theory; Neurophysiological foundations of emotions, attachment, communication, and self-regulation. W. W. Norton & Co.
- Porges, S.W. (2021). Polyvagal safety: Attachment, communication, self-regulation. W. W. Norton & Co.
- Porges, S.W., & Dana, D. (Eds.). (2018). Clinical applications of the polyvagal theory. W. W. Norton & Co.
- Riordan, J.P. (2022). Dyadic trauma and attachment: A monozygotic twin study assessing the efficacy of Somatic Experiencing. Journal of Applied Neurosciences, 1(1), a3. https://doi.org/10.4102/jan.v1i1.3 SEIPID
- Riordan, J.P., Blakeslee, A., & Levine, P. (2017). Toddler trauma: Somatic experiencing®, attachment and the neurophysiology of dyadic completion. International Journal of Neuropsychotherapy, 5, 41–70. https://doi.org/10.12744/ijnpt.2017.1.0041-0069
- Riordan, J.P., Blakeslee, A., & Levine, P. (2019). Attachment focused somatic experiencing®: Secure phylogenetic attachment, dyadic trauma and completion across the life cycle. International Journal of Neuropsychotherapy, 7(3).
- Schmalzle, R., O’Donnell, M.B., Garcia, J.O., & Falk, E.B. (2017). Brain connectivity dynamics during social interaction reflect social network structure. Biological Sciences, 114(20), 5153–5158. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1616130114
- Schore, A.N. (2003). Affect dysregulation and disorders of the self. W.W. Norton and Co Inc.
- Schore, A.N. (2019a). The development of the unconscious mind. W.W. Norton and Co, Inc.
- Schore, A.N. (2019b). Right brain psychotherapy. W.W. Norton and Co, Inc.
- Siegel, D.J. (2012). The developing mind: How relationships and the brain interact to shape who we are. W.W. Norton.
- Tronic, E. (2007). The neurobehavioral and social-emotional development of infants and Children. W.W. Norton.
- Valencia, A.L., & Froese, T. (2020). What binds us? Inter-brain neural synchronization and its implications for theories of human consciousness. Neuroscience of Consciousness, 2020(1), niaa010. https://doi.org/10.1093/nc/niaa010
- Van der Kolk, B.A. (2014). The body keeps the score: Mind, brain and body in the transformation of trauma. Penguin Group (USA) Inc.
- Wilson, G., Hill, M., & Kiernan, D. (2018). Loneliness and social isolation of military veterans: Systematic narrative review. Occupational Medicine, 68(9), 600–609. https://doi.org/10.1093/occmed/kqy160