title: Use of the adult attachment projective picture system in psychodynamic psychotherapy with a severely traumatized patient.
abstract: The following case study is presented to facilitate an understanding of how the attachment information evident from Adult Attachment Projective Picture System (AAP) assessment can be integrated into a psychodynamic perspective in making therapeutic recommendations that integrate an attachment perspective. The Adult Attachment Projective Picture System (AAP) is a valid representational measure of internal representations of attachment based on the analysis of a set of free response picture stimuli designed to systematically activate the attachment system (George and West, 2012). The AAP provides a fruitful diagnostic tool for psychodynamic-oriented clinicians to identify attachment-based deficits and resources for an individual patient in therapy. This paper considers the use of the AAP with a traumatized patient in an inpatient setting and uses a case study to illustrate the components of the AAP that are particularly relevant to a psychodynamic conceptualization. The paper discusses also attachment-based recommendations for intervention.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, Mills College Oakland, CA, USA.
authors.forename: Carol
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: George
authors.affiliation: Institute of Psychology, University of Innsbruck Innsbruck, Austria.
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Buchheim
keywords: Adult Attachment Projective Picture System; adult attachment; psychoanalysis; psychotherapy; trauma