Mental health articles

Current accounts of early development describe the infant’s move towards selfregulation and self-organisation in the context of the relationship with his mother or the primary carer. The attachment relationship and the quality of infant–carer interaction have a major influence on early neurobiological and psychosocial developmental processes. Contemporary models of infancy also emphasise infant competencies (or […]

During the first year of life the infant will grow and develop more rapidly, physically, emotionally and socially than during any other life period. The foundation is laid for language development and mobility that enables infants increasing independence as they explore the world and share their new experiences with key adults. While there is great […]

john bowlby attachment theory John Bowlby, a British psychoanalyst, is seen as the ‘father’ of attachment theory. He described the development of an attachment behavioural system that has the aim of maintaining the infant’s sense of security and safety. In his initial formulation of attachment theory, Bowlby argued that the innate capacity of infants to […]

Classical psychoanalytic theory provides an account of the development of the structure of the mind (that is, the id, ego and super-ego) and of infant developments through a series of psychosexual stages over the first five years of life. In Sigmund Freud’s (1922) original drive theory, the development of relationships to others (object relations) is […]

Homoerotic students who present for counseling in the early stages of sex- ual identity development may request a therapist’s aid in determining their sexual orientation. But oft en behind this appeal is understandable ambiva- lence about self-discovery, since acknowledging homoeroticism risks loss of self-esteem and may trigger social rejection. In fact, clients’ requests some- times […]