State and trait characteristics of attachment as predictors of outcome in inpatient psychotherapy.

Attachment has mostly been investigated as a stable characteristic of individuals, although theoretical considerations and recent empirical findings suggest that attachment styles are also subject to change. When attachment is investigated as a treatment factor in psychotherapy, state and trait characteristics need to be differentiated, as they warrant different conclusions. This study examined the trait- and statelike characteristics of attachment styles over the course of inpatient psychotherapy as predictors of treatment outcome. A total of