Polarities of Experiences: Relatedness and Self-definition in Personality Development, Psychopathology and the Therapeutic Process

In this groundbreaking book, Sidney J. Blatt proposes that psychological development is a lifelong personal negotiation between the two fundamental dimensions of relatedness and self-definition. Psychological development, from youth to old age, is a synergistic balancing act between these two polarities, with most individuals favoring to varying degrees either the anaclitic (relatedness) dimension or the introjective (self-definition) dimension. Exaggerated emphasis on one developmental line at the expense of the other, however, can lead to a variety of mental disorders. Within this framework, mental disorders are seen not as clusters of present or absent symptoms, as in the current DSM diagnostic system, but rather as compensatory exaggerations of the normal polarities of relatedness and self-definition. The author argues that this conceptualization of personality development has clear implications for therapy and describes intriguing research indicating that anaclitic and introjective persons respond differently to psychotherapy. The author applies this model in great detail to the process of therapeutic change, with striking implications for further research. Clinical researchers, therapists, psychiatrists, and graduate students will find this book a rich source of new ideas for research and practice. "This book presents a groundbreaking approach that establishes conceptual continuities among normal and pathological personality development, the classification of psychopathology, and the therapeutic process. Sidney J. Blatt proposes that psychological development is a lifelong personal negotiation between two fundamental dimensions in human affairs, relatedness, and self-definition. Psychological development, from youth to old age, occurs as a synergistic interaction between these two polarities, with most individuals favoring to varying degrees either the relatedness (anaclitic) dimension or self-definition (introjective) dimension, and with the two polarities existing in dynamic tension in normal functioning. Exaggerated emphasis on one developmental dimension at the expense of the other, however, is expressed at different developmental levels in a variety of psychological disorders. A broad array of empirical research supports this view of psychopathology, not as clusters of present or absent symptoms as in the current DSM diagnostic system, but rather as compensatory exaggerations of the normal polarities of relatedness and self-definition. This conceptualization has clear therapeutic implications. Anaclitic and introjective persons respond differently to specific dimensions of the therapeutic process and express therapeutic progress in different ways in a wide variety of therapeutic approaches. Thus, clinical researchers as well as therapists, psychiatrists, and graduate students will find this book to be a rich source of new ideas for research and practice"--Jacket. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2008 APA, all rights reserved) This Book Presents A Groundbreaking Approach That Establishes Conceptual Continuities Among Normal And Pathological Personality Development, The Classification Of Psychopathology, And The Therapeutic Process. Sidney J. Blatt Proposes That Psychological Development Is A Lifelong Personal Negotiation Between Two Fundamental Dimensions In Human Affairs, Relatedness, And Self-definition. Clinical Researchers As Well As Therapists, Psychiatrists, And Graduate Students Will Find This Book To Be A Rich Source Of New Ideas For Research And Practice.--book Jacket. [pt.] I. Relatedness And Self-definition : A Fundamental Polarity Of Experience -- 1. Fundamental Dimensions In Personality And Social Theory -- [pt.] Ii. Personality Development -- 2. Developmental Antecedents Of Relatedness And Self-definition -- 3. Relatedness And Self-definition In Personality Development -- 4. Dialectical Development Of Interpersonal Relatedness And Self-definition -- [pt.] Iii. Personality Organization And Psychopathology -- 5. Two Primary Configurations Of Personality Organization -- 6. Two Primary Configurations Of Psychopathology -- [pt.] Iv. The Therapeutic Process -- 7. Relatedness And Self-definition And Therapeutic Change -- 8. Relatedness And Self-definition In The Therapeutic Process. Sidney J. Blatt ; Foreword By Peter Fonagy. Includes Bibliographical References (p. 297-371) And Indexes.