Developmental changes and their impact on psychoanalytic technique with emerging adults

ABSTRACT

By integrating psychodynamic and developmental perspectives, this contribution reflects on psychotherapy in emerging adults, who are ‘in between’ adolescent and adult patients regarding therapeutic technique. The high mobility of this patient group makes adjustments in the frame and in the indication necessary, and psychodynamic therapists need to reflect on the flexibility and stability of the therapeutic setting. Identity problems occur frequently, but a distinction must be made between intrapsychic identity conflicts that may hamper development, and structural deficits such as identity diffusion. Since autonomy from parents is another central topic, guilt of autonomy and conflicts of loyalty must also be dealt with, potentially including accompanying work with parents in case of parental separation anxiety. Too much support from the therapist may continue or repeatt a parental pattern. New media also play a role in therapy, and the processing of narcissistic phenomena including mourning that not everything is possible, is useful.

KEYWORDS:

• Emerging adulthood
• relationships
• treatment technique
• identity

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Inge Seiffge-Krenke

Inge Seiffge-Krenke is a professor of developmental psychology and has been working at different universities in Germany and abroad. She has done extensive research on various issues in adolescence and young adulthood (identity, ego-development, stress, coping, relationships, psychotherapy research) and has led several international projects. Currently she is involved in a collaboration with colleagues in seven countries to analyze the associations between identity, close relationships, and psychopathology. Sie is also a trained analyst for children, adolescents and adults (DPV, IPA) and is working in the training and supervision of training candidates. She received the Heigl Award for her book on psychoanalytic psychotherapy in adolescents. Further, she received awards from EARA and SSEA for her international research on adolescents and emerging adults.