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Related Experiment Videos

The grandparent syndrome: a case study.

Landrum Tucker1

  • 1Psychoanalytic Institute of the Carolinas, USA.

The Psychoanalytic Study of the Child
|March 21, 2007
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

The Grandparent Syndrome involves detrimental traits from identifying with a grandparent. This case study explores unconscious grandmother identification and its long-term psychoanalytic treatment and resolution.

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Area of Science:

  • Psychology
  • Psychoanalysis
  • Anthropology

Background:

  • The Grandparent Syndrome, defined by Rappaport in 1956, describes negative character traits arising from grandparental identification.
  • Grandparents play a significant role in human psyche and cultural dynamics, as explored in analytic and anthropological literature.

Observation:

  • A young man exhibited an unconscious identification with his grandmother, stemming from childhood melancholia and persisting into adulthood.
  • This identification manifested as a specific pattern, impacting his personality and relationships.

Findings:

  • Psychoanalytic treatment over six years revealed the profound effects of this deeply entrenched identification.
  • Analysis of parental and grandparental transference elements, alongside the patient's negative therapeutic reactions and unconscious guilt, were central to the process.

Implications:

  • The study highlights the lasting impact of early identifications and the complexities of psychoanalytic treatment for deeply rooted psychological patterns.
  • Long-term follow-up demonstrates the potential for continued analytic work in resolving grief and processing familial legacies.