ABSTRACT

In my opinion the problem of symptom-selection is the most difficult of all subjects in neurosis-psychology and psychology in general, and I believe that it should not be approached before the psychologist has mastered the numerous complexities that neurosis-psychology and psychiatry are forever presenting to us. In addition he must begin by discarding all vague prejudices and personal biases, for symptom-selection is a problem that demands absolutely water-tight conclusions, and not one of the links in the chain can afford to be a weak one. In fact the psychologist must go so far as to be able to say: “Were I in the same position as this child, had I the same misinterpretation of the meaning of life and had I been trained as he has been trained, then I, too, would have suffered from approximately the same symptoms.” Only then, after identifying himself wholly with the child, can he conclude that he has really understood the case and discovered the reason for the child’s selection of certain symptoms.