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Idealization and grandiosity: developmental considerations and treatment implications

F M Lachmann, R D Stolorow

    The Psychoanalytic Quarterly
    |January 1, 1976
    PubMed
    Summary

    This study examines narcissistic pathology, revealing how idealization and grandiosity develop differently in patients. Understanding these distortions is key for effective psychological treatment.

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    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.

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    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.