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Psychotherapeutic Approach to the Effects of Insecure Attachment and Projective Identification on Infidelity

불안형 애착과 투사적 동일시가 외도에 미치는 영향에 대한 심리치료적 접근

  • Suk-Ju Yun (Dept. of Counseling Psychology, Open Cyber University of Korea)
  • 윤석주 (한국열린사이버대학교 상담심리학과)
  • Received : 2024.09.30
  • Accepted : 2024.10.25
  • Published : 2024.10.31

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to deeply analyze the psychological influence of anxious attachment and projective identification on extramarital behavior. By systematically collecting and analyzing literature reviews, we explored how anxious attachment and projective identification are connected to extramarital behavior, strengthened the theoretical background, and suggested the possibility of application in counseling and treatment processes. We analyzed the possibility and pattern of extramarital behavior according to anxious attachment types (anxious, avoidant, and mixed types), and investigated whether projective identification plays an important role in justifying extramarital behavior and worsening relationships. The anxious attachment type tends to find stability in oneself through extramarital behavior due to the fear of being abandoned by the partner, while the avoidant attachment type tends to avoid emotional intimacy and maintain independence, and tends to distance oneself from the relationship through extramarital behavior. Mixed attachment is a state of mixed anxiety and avoidance, and tends to relieve extreme emotional changes through extramarital behavior. In addition, projective identification functions as a psychological mechanism that projects one's negative emotions and anxiety onto the other person and shifts responsibility for extramarital behavior to the other person. Through this, infidelity became a means to protect or justify oneself, which resulted in worsening the relationship. This study shows that anxious attachment and projective identification are important psychological backgrounds of infidelity, and it provides important implications for the development of counseling and treatment programs. It can be used as basic data for promoting individual psychological health and forming healthy relationships.

본 연구의 목적은 불안형 애착과 투사적 동일시가 외도 행위에 미치는 심리적 영향을 깊이 분석이다. 문헌고찰을 체계적으로 수집, 분석하여 불안형 애착과 투사적 동일시가 외도 행동과 어떻게 연결되는지를 탐색하였으며, 이론적 배경을 강화하고, 상담 및 치료 과정에서의 응용 가능성을 제시하고자 하였다. 불안형 애착 유형(불안형, 회피형, 혼재형)에 따른 외도의 발생 가능성과 양상을 분석하였으며, 투사적 동일시가 외도 행위를 정당화하고 관계를 악화시키는 데 중요한 역할을 하는지 조사하였으며, 불안형 애착 유형은 파트너로부터 버림받을 것이라는 두려움으로 외도를 통해 자신에게 안정감을 찾으려는 경향과, 회피형 애착 유형은 정서적 친밀감을 회피하고 독립성을 유지하려는 성향으로, 외도를 통해 관계에서 거리를 두려는 경향이 두드러졌다. 혼재형 애착은 불안과 회피가 혼재된 상태로, 외도를 통해 극단적인 감정 변화를 해소하려는 경향을 보였다. 또한, 투사적 동일시는 자신의 부정적인 감정과 불안을 상대방에게 투사하여, 외도의 책임을 상대방에게 전가하는 심리적 메커니즘으로 작용했다. 이를 통해 외도는 자신을 보호하거나 정당화하려는 수단이 되어 관계를 더욱 악화시키는 결과를 초래했다. 본 연구는 불안형 애착과 투사적 동일시가 외도 행위의 중요한 심리적 배경이며, 상담 및 치료 프로그램 개발에 중요한 시사점을 제공하며, 개인의 심리적 건강 증진과 더불어 건강한 관계 형성을 위한 기초 자료로 활용될 수 있을 것이다.

Keywords

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