ABSTRACT

Proceeding from theoretical concepts, the author has cited not only examples of pathological development but also scenes observed in so-called "normal" families. These families are also juxtaposed with children whose development is problematic and who could be helped in an analytic treatment. What makes psychoanalytic development theory so special is its focus on the development of the child's inner world. In Melanie Klein's theory of development, focus is not on the understanding of a stage-like development consisting in consecutive phases. Instead, she speaks of "positions" or phases marking the typical experiential modes of the baby and the infant— positions that remain relevant throughout our entire life in different manifestations. The impression could sometimes be made that the psychoanalytic theories presented here constitute "definitive" knowledge. The author hopes that the views and positions presented here have awaken the reader's interest in individual development and will help promote a better understanding of human development.