This study examined the relationship between therapists' style of attachment and their comfort and inclination to self-disclose in the therapeutic relationship. The aim of the study was to further the understanding of the underlying dynamics that influence therapists' interventions that utilize self-disclosure. Self-disclosure was defined as consisting of two distinct constructs: self-disclosing statements involved the disclosure of therapists' personal information about themselves to their patients, and self-involving statements was the disclosure of immediate emotions felt by the therapist while in the presence of the patient that relate to the therapeutic relationship.

It was hypothesized that therapists with a secure attachment style would be most likely to utilize self-involving statements, while therapists with a preoccupied attachment style would be more likely to utilize self-disclosing statements. The rationale for these hypotheses was based on the notion that self-involving statements involve more risk and greater intimacy than self-disclosing statements, while self-disclosing statements are often perceived as favorable to patients, yet are less intimate. The hypotheses assume that securely attached therapists will be more likely to resist the pull to instantly gratify patients' needs of knowing particular details about themselves and more likely to engage in the risk of intimacy with patients, while therapists with a preoccupied style of attachment will be more likely to be pulled to offer self-disclosing statements, fearing patients' frustration or disappointment.

The sample of 114 participants from the greater Los Angeles area consisted of therapists with master, medical, and doctoral degrees, licensed clinical social workers, as well as therapist interns, who were affiliated with either the Los Angeles County Psychological Association, the Institute of Contemporary Psychoanalysis, the New Psychoanalytic Institute, the Wright Institute, or the Maple Counseling Center. The participants completed self-report surveys including a measure of attachment style (the Experiences in Close Relationships), a measure of self-disclosure (the Self-Reference Questionnaire), and a demographic questionnaire. The findings indicated no significant relationship between attachment style and self-disclosure among therapists. There was little variance in self-disclosure regardless of attachment style, gender, or theoretical orientation, as the therapists in the sample reported to infrequently utilize both selfdisclosing statements and self-involving statements in the therapeutic relationship. The findings were not consistent with prior research and literature indicating the potential benefits of therapist self-disclosure and the frequent need and desire of patients for therapists' self-disclosure. The construct of self-disclosure proved to be difficult to operationally define. Future research should address the limitations of self-report measures and consider the development of an instrument that more accurately captures the dynamics between therapist and patient, as well as the use of qualitative strategies to study therapist-patient interactions. The study highlights the ongoing controversy over whether or not to self-disclose in the therapeutic relationship.