Triangulation As A Valuable Link Between Systems Theory, Family Attachments, And Triangulation Processes

This paper explores how triangulation serves as a connection between systemic thinking, attachment theory, and intimate relationships by emphasizing the influence of interactions among three individuals on attachment representations. This paper reviews the usefulness of the systemic relational concept of triangulation as one bridge between systemic thinking and practice and attachment theory. Traditionally attachment theory has theorised and researched with dyads, such as parent-child, and adult romantic partners, whereas systemics has theorised and worked therapeutically with the triangle as the basic human relationship i.e. when any two people interact, their interactions are influenced by their respective relationships with the same third. It is argued here that a child’s attachment representations are shaped not only by the relationship with each parent but also by the relationship between them. Thus the process of triangulation in intimate relationships is seen in this paper to link attachment theory with systemic thinking - as systemics needs a theory of love and emotion, and attachment theory needs to consider how intimate relationships are nested and inter-connected in an attachment network

Triangulation As A Valuable Link Between Systems Theory, Family Attachments, And Triangulation Processes Keywords:

Triangulation , Systems Theory , Family Attachments , Triangulation Processes