An insecure attachment style characterized by fear of abandonment, need for constant reassurance, and difficulty with emotional regulation. Individuals with this style often have a negative view of themselves but positive view of others.
Identified by Mary Ainsworth in her attachment research of the 1970s, combining 'anxious' from Latin 'anxius' (troubled, uneasy) with 'attachment.' Originally called 'anxious-ambivalent' to capture the conflicted feelings toward caregivers who were inconsistently responsive.
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