Developmental Perspectives in Child Psychoanalysis and Psychotherapy

Meaning Making and the Self

“…Humans are born with a biological predisposition for strong affective bonds. The quality of those affective bonds interacts with the infants' genetic endowment and thus influences to a significant extent the developmental trajectory of self (Bonovitz and Harlem 2018). More specifically, the foundational substrate of the self emerges out of the affective sensory-motor contingencies that are constructed during the period of infancy (Riva 2018).…”

“…The self is an organic and intrinsically dynamic construct that is constantly evolving and adapting to the complex and dynamic interactions between an individual's internal and external experience (Bonovitz and Harlem 2018). The construct of self refers to the formation of a coherent mental space of subjectivity that is organized around time, place, and space and which enables humans to reflect on their experiences and maintain a sense of agency, order, and continuity throughout their life (Beni 2019).…”