Parent‐infant psychotherapy: Remembering the Oedipus complex

Daws, Dilys

doi:10.1080/07351699909534247

Cited by 12 publications

(4 citation statements)

References 3 publications

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“…Practicing mental health workers have acknowledged the significance of family group contexts for nearly a century ͑Richmond, 1917͒, with clearly articulated theoretical stances advocated by family therapists since the 1950s. Triangular relations have also been central in many schools of psychoanalytic thought ͑Abelin, 1971; Atkins, 1984;Barrows, 2004;Britton, 2002;Chiland, 1982;Daws, 1999;Greenspan, 1982͒. Yet despite these historical realities, altering the face of current infant mental health practice so as to routinely incorporate a full family perspective in diagnostic assessments, consultations, and interventions would indeed be nothing short of revolutionary.…”

mentioning

confidence: 96%

When infants grow up in multiperson relationship systems

McHale

2007

Infant Mental Health Journal

143

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Despite prompts from the field of family therapy since its inception, contemporary infant mental health theory and practice remain firmly rooted in and guided by dyadic-based models. Over the past 10 years, a groundswell of new empirical studies of triadic and family group dynamics during infancy have substantiated that which family theory has contended for decades: looking beyond mother-infant or father-infant dyads reveals a myriad of critically important socialization influences and dynamics that are missed altogether when relying on informant reports or dyad-based interactions. Such family-level dynamics emerge within months after infants are born, show coherence through time, and influence the social and emotional adjustment of children as early as the toddler and preschool years. This report summarizes key findings from the past decade of empirical family studies, highlights several areas in need of further conceptual development and empirical study by those who work with infants and their families, and outlines important implications of this body of work for all practicing infant mental health professionals.

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confidence: 96%

When infants grow up in multiperson relationship systems

McHale

2007

Infant Mental Health Journal

143

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“…In so far as we can achieve this, and the parents can identify with this "observing" function, they may in turn become better able to reflect upon their own relationship and ultimately take away a capacity for reflective function that will serve them in the future. Daws (1999) has written more about this in an article in Psychoanalytic Inquiry, and Morgan (2001) of the Tavistock Marital Studies Institute has also described something similar in referring to the "couple state of mind" with which therapists need to approach a consultation.…”

Section: Implications For Locating the Ghostmentioning

confidence: 94%

Fathers and families: Locating the ghost in the nursery

Barrows

2004

Infant Mental Health Journal

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Infant mental-health clinicians and researchers have tended to focus particularly on the mother-infant dyad and, in Fraiberg's terms, on the "ghosts" that the mother brings to the nursery. This article begins by reiterating the case for paying as much attention to the "ghosts" that the father brings if we are to maximize our therapeutic impact. It is argued further, however, that over and above the father's individual role, what is more critical for the developing infant's future mental health is the nature of the parental couple that he/she encounters. That is, it is the relationship between the parents and their interactions that creates the emotional climate into which the infant is born and that determines the nature of the "internal" parental couple that they in turn will acquire. It is argued that the couple's relationship therefore needs to be the primary focus for our therapeutic interventions. Clinical material is presented to illustrate these points. RESUMEN:Los clínicos e investigadores de la salud mental infantil se han inclinado, en particular, hacia el enfoque en la díada madre-infante y, según los términos de Fraiberg, en los "fantasmas" que la madre aporta en cuanto a la crianza y amamantación del infante. Este ensayo comienza por reiterar el caso poniéndole la misma atención a los "fantasmas" que el padre aporta, si es que se quiere lograr el máximo de nuestro impacto terapéutico. Adicionalmente se arguye, sin embargo, que por encima y más allá del papel individual del padre, lo más crítico en el desarrollo de la futura salud mental del infante, es la naturaleza de la pareja de padre y madre con la que el(la) infante se encuentra. Es decir, se trata de la relación entre los padres, así como la interacción entre ellos, y es esa relación la que crea el clima emocional dentro del cual el infante nace, y la que determina la naturaleza de la pareja "interna" que ellos a la vez adquieren. Se discute que la relación de la pareja, por lo tanto, necesita ser el enfoque primario de nuestras intervenciones terapéuticas. Con el fin de ilustrar estos puntos, se presenta material clínico.RÉ SUMÉ : Jusqu'à présent les cliniciens et les chercheurs en santé mentale du nourrisson ont eu tendance à se concentrer particulièrement sur la dyade mère-nourrisson et, pour reprendre les termes de Fraiberg, sur les "fantômes" que la mère amène avec elle dans la chambre d'enfant. Cet article argumente qu'il faut faire tout aussi attention aux "fantômes" que le père apporte si nous voulons maximiser notre impact thérapeutique. Nous maintenons cependant que, bien au-delà du rôle individuel du père, c'est la nature du couple parental que l'enfant rencontre qui est critique pour la future santé mentale du bébé. Ainsi, c'est la relation entre les parents et leur interaction qui crée le climat émotionnel au sein duquel le bébé

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“…Dilys Daws (1999) sees the worker as taking the third position, that of the father, representing the internal father in the mother's mind. We have in mind a more active role, that the worker offers the baby a particular kind of experience, which many parents can permit even when they may be quite imniobilised psychologically.…”

Section: Some Thoughts About Infant-parent Psychotherapymentioning

confidence: 99%