TY - CHAP AB - Purpose To explore the roles of perceived leader caregiving, and followers’ leader-specific attachment orientations, in followers’ experiences of negative interactions and emotions.Methodology/approach In a qualitative field study, individuals identified as secure and insecure (avoidant or anxious) on a pre-measure of leader-specific attachment, were interviewed regarding perceptions of leader caregiving and experiences of negative affective events in their current leadership dyad.Findings Followers perceived and interpreted negative interpersonal events and emotions in ways that reflected underlying attachment concerns, and embedded perceptions, of leader caregiving quality.Research limitations/implications The study was small-scale but provides rich relational information on which future researchers can build to further explore the development and impact of leader-follower attachment dynamics.Practical implications Attachment-focused leadership development training may be useful in enhancing leader-follower relationship quality.Originality/value This study is the first to demonstrate qualitatively the associations between followers’ leader-specific attachment orientations, their perceptions of leader caregiving, and their experiences of negative affective events in the leader-follower dyad. VL - 12 SN - 978-1-78560-998-5, 978-1-78560-997-8/1746-9791 DO - 10.1108/S1746-979120160000012002 UR - https://doi.org/10.1108/S1746-979120160000012002 AU - Game Annilee M. AU - West Michael A. AU - Thomas Geoff PY - 2016 Y1 - 2016/01/01 TI - The Role of Attachment and Leader Caregiving in Followers’ Negative Affective Experiences T2 - Emotions and Organizational Governance T3 - Research on Emotion in Organizations PB - Emerald Group Publishing Limited SP - 35 EP - 67 Y2 - 2024/03/29 ER -