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The psychoanalytic paradox: the self as a transitional object.

P L Giovacchini

    Psychoanalytic Review
    |January 1, 1984
    PubMed
    Summary
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    Mothers using children as transitional objects can lead to developmental fixation and ego defects. Specialized psychoanalytic techniques are needed to treat these patients, addressing the psychoanalytic paradox in therapy.

    Area of Science:

    • Psychology
    • Psychoanalysis
    • Developmental Psychology

    Background:

    • Focuses on patients with adequate physical care but lacking maternal emotional engagement.
    • Mothers treated children as transitional objects, hindering emotional development.

    Observation:

    • Patients exhibit fixation in transitional developmental stages.
    • Character structure and ego defects arise from this fixation.
    • Psychic apparatus shows lacunae, leading to defective modulation and extreme behaviors.

    Findings:

    • Patients display a fragmentation or splitting, lacking continuity between developmental levels.
    • These patients present unique therapeutic challenges due to the psychoanalytic paradox.
    • The mother's detached analytic attitude mirrors the patient's pathology.

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    Implications:

    • Therapists must adopt specific relational modes, fostering patient autonomy and external exploration.
    • Variations in analytic technique are essential for treating this specific psychopathology.
    • Creating an appropriate holding environment is crucial for patient progress.