Dr. van Ecke

Dr. van Ecke
582 Market Street
Suite 1001
San Francisco, CA 94104
ph: 415 672-1499

Publications

Dr. van Ecke's research focuses on attachment theory and immigrants, career decision  making and counseling as it relates to attachment.  Attachment theory was developed by John Bowlby to explain how our understanding about early relationships affects our friendships, careers and also our health.  Murray Bowen developed therapy approaches to help people handle important relationships.  Dr. van Ecke combines the two in her work and her writing. You may purchase her book Immigrants and Attachment at University of Amsterdam Press.  Below you can see summaries of publications.

  • Immigration from an Attachment Perspective.

     

    van Ecke, Y. Immigration from an Attachment Perspective. Social Behavior and Personality International Journal, V 33 (5), pp 467-477, 2005. 
    Abstract: The current literature on attachment and immigration is reviewed and attachment theory is used to illuminate immigrants’ responses during the stages of pre-migration, transit, settlement, and adjustment/adaptation. The author argues that immigrants are more likely than non-immigrants to have an insecure attachment representation, and considers both causes and effects of immigration from an attachment theory perspective.   It is suggested that long term implications of immigration experience may include increased vulnerability to attachment trauma and that understanding social support and clinical aspects of  immigrants’ needs will benefit from  the application of  attachment theory.  The author considers the usefulness of applying attachment theory to non-immigrant groups including expatriate employees, members of the armed services, government employees stationed abroad and even foreign students. Several attachment-based research focuses to examine attachment among immigrants are proposed.

  • Attachment and Immigrants

    van Ecke, Y., Chope, R.C., and Emmelkamp, P. Attachment and Immigrants: Research findings with Dutch and Belgian Immigrants. Social Behavior and Personality, V 33 (7), 657-674. 

    Abstract: Although immigrants are an extremely diverse group, adults who emigrate nearly always experience separation from family of origin, extended family and country.  This research examines state of mind with respect to attachment, using the Adult Attachment Projective (George & West, 2003; George, West, & Pettem, 1999), and compares the attachment status of adult Californians who still live near their family of origin in the area in which they were born and raised (m 12, f 18) to that of individuals who emigrated from the Netherlands and Belgium as adults to California (m 29, f 41).  The findings showed a significant relationship between being an immigrant and unresolved attachment status (n= 100, X2 =5.81, p=< 0.0160) unrelated to time in the U.S., reason for immigration, being married or single.  Implications and limitations of these findings are discussed.

  • Unresolved Attachment

    van Ecke, Y., Unresolved Attachment. Journal of Genetic Psychology. 2007

    Abstract: Previous research found Dutch and Belgian immigrants in California have a high rate of unresolved attachment status compared to non-immigrants, unrelated to time in the U.S., being married or reason for immigration.  This study analyzes attachment at the representational level by comparing responses of 69 immigrants (29 males and 40 females) and 30 non immigrants (m 12 males and 18 females) to drawings in the Adult Attachment Projective (AAP), analyzing both the perception of, and the ability to resolve danger in responses to  AAP images.  Analysis of resolution of danger in story responses to AAP images shows the immigrant group most troubled by images of goodbye and isolation, but non-immigrants most disturbed by images of illness (X 2 = 3.71, p = 0.05).  Implications for counseling immigrants are discussed.

  • Attachment Style and Career Thoughts

    van Ecke Y., Attachment Style and Career Thoughts. Career Development Quarterly. In Press. 
    Abstract: This article examines the relationship between attachment style measured by Experiences in Close Relationships – Revised, and dysfunctional career thoughts measured by the Career Thoughts Inventory.  Two hypotheses related to attachment and dysfunctional career thoughts were tested with 46 adult immigrants (17 men, 29 women).  Results show both attachment anxiety and avoidance significantly relate to scores on the CTI (r = 0.30, p < 0.05, r = 0.41, p <0.01 respectively), increased attachment avoidance also significantly correlates with decision making confusion(r = 0.36, p < 0.01), and external conflict (r = 0.40, p < 0.01).  Implications of attachment style on the career counseling process are discussed. 

  • Attachment theory and family therapy

    van Ecke, Y., Chope, R. C., and Emmelkamp, P.M. Bowlby and Bowen: Attachment theory and family therapy. Counseling and Clinical Psychology Journal, 2006, 3(2), pp 70-97

    Abstract:The authors compare client response patterns to relationship anxiety as conceptualized by the intergenerational family systems therapist with the responses that characterize the attachment statuses as recognized by attachment theory.  Discusses the finding that immigrants have a higher proportion of unresolved attachment than non-immigrants living near their family of origin (van Ecke, Chope, & Emmelkamp, 2005), in the context of providing therapeutic intervention from a Bowen family systems perspective.  Outlines how immigrants with insecure attachment may benefit from intergenerational family systems therapy, developed by Murray Bowen (1985).  The paper examines the following hypotheses; 1) the theoretical underpinnings of both attachment theory and intergenerational family systems theory are fundamentally compatible, 2) attachment based assessment is useful for the Bowen therapist, 3) Bowen therapy interventions can be applied to attachment issues in clinical work, and 4) that use of attachment-based assessment will facilitate research on the effectiveness of Bowen interventions.

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Dr. van Ecke
582 Market Street
Suite 1001
San Francisco, CA 94104
ph: 415 672-1499