Beating fantasies: symbiosis and child battering

Abstract

A discussion of "The Psychodynamics of a Beating Fantasy," by Wayne Myers, M. D. Freud's concepts in "A Child is Being Beaten" (1919) require some revision. The fantasy may involve both parents, with the confusion of sexual identity as an additional significant element. Further, there are similarities between the phenomenon of child battering and the dynamics of Dr. Myer's patient. Also, a significant question is that while beating fantasies are probably universal among children, why do only a small number of adults have them occupy a central role in their psychosexual development and fantasy life?