Separation-Individuation and Object Constancy

McDevitt, John B.

doi:10.1177/000306517502300402

Cited by 43 publications

(15 citation statements)

References 29 publications

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“…The work of Mahler (Mahler et al, 1975) and of McDevitt (1978) has already pointed in this direction. The significance of the rapprochement subphase of separation-individuation for psychopathology and for setting the stage of symbolic functioning is very great and will, I hope, undergo more detailed elaboration as it relates to language functions.…”

Section: Approaches To the Study $Language Developmentmentioning

confidence: 94%

Some Prelinguistic Aspects Of Language Development

Call

1980

J Am Psychoanal Assoc

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Most studies of language acquisition since Chomsky's break-through in linguistics have all utilized as a theoretical base various theories of cognitive development out of which words, phrases, and meanings are created. This study attempts to outline the underpinnings of language ontogenetically and to show the role of affective engagements with caretakers. Some of the prelinguistic aspects of language development are examined in relation to the volution of language function. The newborn infant engages and terminates visual, kinesthetic, oral, and sound reciprocity with the mother, as shown in the cough-smile game, thus providing the infant a significant measure of control over these reciprocal exchanges. The social smile, modulations thereof, and the face itself become organizers of meaningful vocalization, a focal point around which phonemes emerge from the mutuality of the mother-infant relationship. The evolution and meaning of the pointing gesture as it relates to language functioning and to the stages of separation-individuation is discussed. It is suggested that the child's capacity to evaluate the context of utterances in relation to dynamically integrated facial-vocal configurations with familiar caretakers provides the basis for the development of semantics and syntax in later language functioning.

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Section: Approaches To the Study $Language Developmentmentioning

confidence: 94%

Some Prelinguistic Aspects Of Language Development

Call

1980

J Am Psychoanal Assoc

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“…The vicissitudes and histories of libidinous objects have been illuminated and described by a great number of researchers (Spitz, Mahler, Balint, Winnicott, Bak, Anna Freud among others). For a synoptic account particularly of the views of Mahler see McDewitt () and also the overviews given in Fraiberg (), Bak () and Meissner (), who, in particular, offers a differentiation between learning processes and identifications.…”

Section: Formation Of the Representationsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Drives and objects – Observations on the origins of the emotional object world

Loch¹

2017

The International Journal of Psychoanalysis

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“…A number of authors (Adler, 1985;Horner, 1979;Levine, 1979;McDevitt, 1975), based on the developmental observations of the Mahler studies and their own clinical work, state that the "healing of longstanding splitting (in relationship with mother, for example) can only follow the formation of stable holding introjects and thus a stable evocative memory" (Adler, 1985, p. 53). Kernberg (1967Kernberg ( , 1968Kernberg ( , 1975 seems to disagree with this premise.…”

Section: Techniques Designed To Resolve Object Splittingmentioning

confidence: 99%

Techniques to develop object constancy with borderline clients.

Wells¹,

Glickauf‐Hughes²

1986

Psychotherapy: Theory, Research, Practice, Training

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The relative failure to achieve object constancy is one of the hallmarks of borderline pathology. Clients manifesting this developmental failure remain chronically overdependent on others to provide them with the holding!soothing internal security operations which they cannot perform for themselves. This article delineates techniques that therapists can employ to help these clients through a threestep developmental process which culminates in the achievement of object constancy.

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Separation-Individuation and Object Constancy

Cited by 43 publications

References 29 publications

Some Prelinguistic Aspects Of Language Development

Some Prelinguistic Aspects Of Language Development

Drives and objects – Observations on the origins of the emotional object world

Techniques to develop object constancy with borderline clients.

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