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Some 55 years after the psychoanalytic treatment of delinquents received its first presentation with August Aichorn's Wayward Youth, Paulina Kernberg and Saralea Chazan present a clear, straightforward, psychoanalytically informed psychotherapy manual. In its broad focus and conception, the book presents an inclusive, easily grasped description of the clinical syndrome of conduct disorders as well as the theory of therapy. By a dexterous melding of ego psychology/object relations theory with attachment theory, temperament theory, and learning theory, the authors have managed to update in large measure the picture of what psychoanalytically oriented therapy looks like at its best.
It is a measure of the authors' accomplishment that their efforts have yielded a book that is enjoyable to read. By a masterful elision of the conceptual to the operational, and with rich clinical illustrations, they have managed to bring a difficult subject within reach of even unsophisticated beginners. The format is simple. An introduction briefly describes the three therapies and their theoretical bases, with an overview of the concepts and techniques that they use. Three in-depth sections follow, one covering each of the three treatment modalities. In order of presentation, the three modalities are supportive-expressive play psychotherapy (SEPP), parent training, and play group psychotherapy (PGP). We are given a primer on the individual applications of each, special circumstances to consider, and the kind of markers to note so as to be apprised of progress. Material from each phase of each treatment is presented. Assessment, beginning, middle, and end stages are covered in a way that the reader is left with little doubt about how to proceed. Which therapy to employ, whether it is to be the sole modality or used concurrently with one of the others, is pragmatically chosen according to criteria the authors enumerate. Through the course of the therapy presentations, we are shown changes i