Implications of research on infant development for psychodynamic theory and practice

Abstract

Recent research on infant development is reviewed to consider its implications for psychodynamic theory and practice. To address the question of the importance of early experiences for development, research on continuities and discontinuities in development, temperament, motivational systems in infancy, affect development and regulation, development of the sense of self, and infant-caregiver attachment are reviewed. Two major implications emerge, both emphasizing the need for more complexities in our conceptualizations. First, research on infant development underscores the importance of context in development and cautions about the limits of reductionistic thinking and theories. Second a major paradigmatic shift away from the fixation-regression model of psychopathology and development is indicated. A new model that better fits available data is proposed instead. In this continuous construction model, there is no need for regression, and ontogenetic origins of psychopathology are no longer necessarily tied to specific critical or sensitive periods in development. Implications for psychodynamic treatment are also described.