[Ethology, the real trauma and neurosis. Attempt at an evaluation of the contribution of John Bowlby in understanding the origin of emotional disorders]

Abstract

This paper tries to trace back the contribution of John Bowlby to the concept of development of psychic disorders. The characteristic features of Bowlby's conception, which centers around the preservation and impairment of the behavioural system "attachment", are presented and their origins especially from psychoanalysis, biology and ethology are shown. This research study was initiated by the psychoanalytic criticism of John Bowlby's positions, and one of its aims is to clarify their concordance with or deviation from psychoanalysis. Finally clinical contributions of Bowlby are presented which are scarcely known in Germany (for instance the discrimination of phobia and pseudophobia). In trying to appreciate the significance of Bowlby for the further scientific development of psychoanalysis an important task is assigned to him, since he insists in providing evidence of those psychoanalytic theories he applies.