ABSTRACT
From its earliest writings, psychoanalytic theory has endeavoured to understand how the mind develops within the context of relationships. Through clinical work, it became clear that many issues in adult life have their origins in early childhood experiences and relationships. Bion (1962), in particular, drew attention to the importance of the repeated interactions between an infant and their primary caregiver and placed emotionality at the centre of psychic life and development. Over the last forty years, there has been a burgeoning of research that has both supported and enriched this psychoanalytic perspective.
