Abstract
The book,Psychology of The Self (1978), and the movement of thePsychology of the Self are criticized as having degenerated into a kind of cult that basically rejects all former and contemporary psychoanalytic contributions. The end product is that many patients are incorrectly diagnosed as “narcissistic character disorders” and then treated by the same method, emphasizing the patient's need for an empathic self-object. Even the “cures” reported seem to put the patient in a schizoid and narcissistic position in which object relations that involve real attachments to another person are minimized. Instead of changing people from narcissistic to object-related, the reverse appears to occur.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Gillman, S. Guruitis: Epidemiology, causes, symptoms, and remediation.Journal of Contemporary Psychotherapy, 1979,10 (2), 105–111.
Goldberg, A. (ed.)The psychology of the self: A casebook. New York: International Universities Press, 1978.
Kohut, H.The analysis of the self. New York: International Universities Press, 1971.
Kohut, H.The restoration of the self. New York: International Universities Press, 1977.
Robertiello, R. C.Your own true love. New York: Richard Marek, 1978.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Additional information
The Psychology of the Self: A Casebook was written with the collaboration of Heinz Kohut, M.D., edited by Arnold Goldberg, M.D.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Robertiello, R.C. Critique ofThe Psychology of the Self:A Casebook . J Contemp Psychother 12, 60–65 (1981). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00946235
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00946235