Psychoanalytic Psychology

Lyons-Ruth, Karlen

doi: 10.1037/h0079237pmid: N/A

Mahler speculated that the normal developmental process of separation-individuation led young toddlers to experience ambivalence when needing comforting contact with a caregiver. She labeled this period of characteristic ambivalence the rapprochement subphase of the separation-individuation process, roughly spanning the developmental period from 15 to 24 months of age. Researchers observing mother–infant relationships from an attachment perspective have also noted the ambivalent behaviors described by Mahler, as well as a range of other conflict behaviors that become increasingly prominent after 12 months of age. However, recent work on attachment relationships indicates that ambivalent behavior and other forms of conflict behavior centered around the need for comforting contact with mother in early toddlerhood are more likely to be related to difficulties in parent-infant interaction than to normative ambivalence related to a “fear of reengulfment,” with more conspicuous forms of infant conflict related to the presence of maternal psychopathology. The attachment literature leading to this conclusion is reviewed, including new work on disorganized/disoriented infant attachment behaviors, and recent longitudinal studies of the sequelae of early attachment patterns through age 6. Revisions in the existing framework of object-relations theory are proposed to encompass the new developmental data.

Villela-Minnerly, Lucia

doi: 10.1037/h0079235pmid: N/A

In his article on introspection and empathy, Kohut (1959) defined psychoanalysis in terms of methods used rather than tenets held, and thus started a far reaching conceptual revolution that has considerably modified and expanded Freud's drive-based, psychosexual model. Over the last 30 years, a more-or-less cohesive system of explanatory propositions has developed into what we now call self psychology. The said of self psychology will examine some of the explicitly stated propositions for their conceptual coherence. The unsaid will examine some of the covert or seldom articulated questions and assumptions that guide (or that subvert) the self psychological approach. It is argued that language (examined here) and sexuality (examined in a later article) are two of the major unsaids of self psychology. This article assumes that all theories have their unsaids, and therefore the subversion of a theory may be a precondition of its contribution to future work.

Rawn, Moss L.

doi: 10.1037/h0079254pmid: N/A

Psychoanalysis, training analysis, psychotherapy, and training psychotherapy are defined. The following questions are addressed: (a) How does training analysis differ from ordinary analysis?; (b) Should a different type of training analysis be required for psychotherapy (i.e., psychoanalytic psychotherapy) candidates as contrasted to psychoanalytic candidates?; and (c) What is the effect on the training analysis of recent changes in psychoanalytic theory and technique?The effects on training analysis of three different clinical stances (ego psychology, object relations, and self psychology) are described. Composite case examples are constructed to illustrate the main themes. The basic position taken is that there is no substitute for a full, thorough training analysis for all psychoanalytic and psychoanalytic psychotherapy candidates. A training psychotherapy is never indicated.

Blum, Alan; Shadduck, Carolyn B.

doi: 10.1037/h0079246pmid: N/A

The psychoanalytic concept of “object-choice” was first delineated by Freud in his seminal differentiation between two types of choice of love-object: the anaclitic and the narcissistic. Although this distinction has given rise to some important and interesting ideas, it has been difficult to distinguish the anaclitic from the narcissistic object-choice, because it appears that every object-choice is based on and modeled after one's primary relationship(s), whether one seeks out the object or seeks to become the object. The polarities of anaclitic versus narcissistic object-choice and internalization versus object relations oversimplify and distort the complex developmental process of object-choice beset with conflicts, compromises, and active structuring and restructuring. We suggest and clinically illustrate the following organizing principle: In object-choice, there is an attempt to repeat and/or rework conflictual aspects of the original objects and the self. That is, object-choice can be examined in terms of the degree of repetitive torment versus reworking and growth. It is hoped that this conceptualization may prove helpful to psychoanalytic thinkers in their study of the vicissitudes of object-choice and as one overall measure of health versus pathology.

Ryan, William P.

doi: 10.1037/h0079248pmid: N/A

Much is being learned about the treatment of adult children of alcoholics (ACOAs) from the areas of self-help psychology, the psychology of addictive families, and group psychotherapy. There is a dearth of material in the psychoanalytic literature. Yet it seems vital for psychoanalysis to contribute the powerful insights it has to offer in understanding in greater depth the character formation and treatment of ACOAs. This article attempts to contribute in the ara of treatment strategies. Two cardinal strategies have been selected for elaboration in this article. One is the process of working through the denial and shame. The other is the focus on the parents as inadequate objects for emotional supplies, and the working through of the inner sadness of the resultant deprivation.

Cohler, Bertram J.

doi: 10.1037/h0085142pmid: N/A

Cohler, Bertram J.

doi: 10.1037/h0085139pmid: N/A

Cohler, Bertram J.

doi: 10.1037/h0085140pmid: N/A

Cohler, Bertram J.

doi: 10.1037/h0085141pmid: N/A