ABSTRACT
Boredom in patients is construed as usually reflecting a failure to develop meaningful life goals. This view is at variance with the prevailing psychoanalytic view, which regards boredom as a defense against strong affects and drive derivatives. A number of cases are described, and the implications of this view for treatment are considered. Specifically, it is recommended that, in addition to resistance analysis, therapists should actively encourage and facilitate a developmental process through which patients adopt goals that give their lives direction and meaning.
