ABSTRACT
Both intrapsychic and extrapsychic factors contribute to the satisfactory bonding between mother and child, and those that undermine this felicitous relationship lead to rejection through indifference, hostility, neglect, or abuse. The early years in a child’s life profoundly influence his emotional make-up and personality, and any failure of early parenting provides the soil for emotional disturbance to flourish. The explorations and techniques of psychotherapy are constantly concerned with these failures of bonding.
