Theory Of Self Psychology And Psychological Barriers For Applied Research

Kohut who is one of the representatives of psychoanalysis set up the Narcissistic Transference in narcissistic personality and studied the Selfobject Transference later. He established the basic theory of the Self Psychology, which completed the course from the traditional Psychoanalysis to the broad Self Psychology via the narrow Self Psychology. The heart of the Self Psychology is the Selfobject Transference, which is the foundation of the understanding and application of the Self Psychology theory and the important sign of distinguishing it from other theories of psychoanalysis.To make the profound comprehension of the Self Psychology, this study made the comprehensive survey of the Selfobject Transference by tracing back the historical origin, the classification, the development process and the clinical application of this theory. At the same time, this theory was applied to Chinese youngsters' psychological counselling to investigate the feasibility and validity of the theory in the context of the Chinese culture.The full text of the study was divided into five chapters:Chapter one aimed at a full and deep comprehension of the Self Psychology by combing lognitudinally the developmental history of the psychoanalysis and comparing transversely the schools of the psychoanalysis, which emphases on the background of the Self Psychology and the present research status at home and abroad.Chapter two clarified the presentation and the research significance of questions.Chapter three discussed the classification and the clinical manifestations of the Selfobject Transference, including the Mirroring Transference, the Idealized Transference and the Twin Transference. At the same time, this study formed perceptual experience and rational knowledge about the clinical manifestations and the working through process of the Selfobject Transference through specific clinical cases. The integration of the knowledge expressed the main viewpoints , the psychological counseling operation method and the clinical therapeutic mode under guidance of the Self Psychology theory. Based on the time of the appearance and working through of the Selfobject Transference, the whole consulting process could be divided into three phases:1.Assessing preliminarily a case;2.Dealing with the resistance and starting the Selfobject Transference; 3.Working through the Selfobject Transference and making the end.Chapter four explores applications of Kohut's basic ideas and methods to Chinese youngsters' psychological counselling, in which two clients were interviewed for 6 sessions respectively (Psychodynamic Psychotherapy) based on the clinical therapeutic mode mentioned above. The research showed the specific manifestations of the Selfobject Transference in the counseling process of today's Chinese youth through the specific operation in the consulting room. To achieve therapeutic prognosis in cases, this thesis understood their symptoms and behavior from perspective of the Self Psychology, offered the interpretation of dynamics and origin to their personality and behavior, and repeated the basic consultative units (understanding and interpretation). The results of case study verified the feasibility and validity of Kohut's theories and the main therapeutic methods.On the basis of the preliminary explanation of the Self Psychology and the results of case studies, Chapter five obtained some conclusions:1.The Self Psychology was suitable for the case of dysthymia, who reached the short-term goal of the consultation and the stable prognosis effect through 6 sessions;2.The Self Psychology was fit for the obsessive-compulsive disorder, who reached the short-term objectives of the consultation and the basic stable prognosis through 6 sessions;3.The results of the clinical case studies verified the existence of the Idealized Transference and the Mirroring Transference in adolescents of China .The specific manifestations of cases have no significant differences between Chinese and foreign cases;4.This paper proved that the therapeutic method of repeating the basic consultative units through the counseling techniques of introspection and empathy in order to form the self which has complete structure and stable function was feasible and valid in China;5. The localization of the Self Psychology was appropriate for our present individual counseling. It could help the case to achieve satisfactory functions and return to the normal learning and life in near future.