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Idealization and grandiosity: developmental considerations and treatment implications
The Psychoanalytic Quarterly
|January 1, 1976
Summary
This study examines narcissistic pathology, revealing how idealization and grandiosity develop differently in patients. Understanding these distortions is key for effective psychological treatment.
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Psychiatry
- Psychoanalysis
Background:
- Narcissistic pathology involves complex distortions in self and object representations.
- Idealization and grandiosity are key features requiring further etiological and functional analysis.
Observation:
- Two case studies illustrate the developmental trajectories of idealization and grandiosity.
- Patient 1: Idealization and grandiosity as manifestations of developmental arrest.
- Patient 2: Idealization and grandiosity as defenses against object-instinctual conflict.
Findings:
- Differences in the function of idealizations and grandiosity are linked to aggression.
- The degree of separation-individuation attained influences these narcissistic features.
- Contrasting developmental pathways for narcissistic distortions are identified.
Implications:
- Treatment strategies must consider the specific functions of idealization and grandiosity.
- Insights from Kohut and Kernberg inform therapeutic approaches for narcissistic pathology.
- Understanding these dynamics is crucial for addressing developmental arrests and defense mechanisms.