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Forty years ago Jacobson started the infiltration of object relations theory into this country by treating object relational themes within the then prevalent American ego-psychological paradigm. Kernberg integrated the British object relations (especially Kleinian) concepts with the ego approach, while others integrated object relations concepts with interpersonal theory. Kleinian
concepts have recently gained currency even among the mainstream psychoanalytic community, not to mention those psychologically oriented cultural critics not currently under the influence of Lacan. Winnicott has practically become a cultural hero, being one of the few psychoanalysts to be pictured in the New York Review of Books. Now we appear to see the return of Fairbairn as a major figure in psychodynamic thinking.
The books under review are among a number that have come out in the last few years that appear to be aimed at creating a pure object relational approach to treatment based mainly on Fairbairnian concepts, leavened a bit with ideas from Freud, Klein, and Winnicott. The longer book, by David Scharff, is intended as a theoretical work on the role of internalized object relations—as expressed through interactions with significant others—on the development of the self. The other book is aimed at introducing object relations theory and therapy to a broad audience, including undergraduate and graduate students and beginning trainees in the mental health professions. Unfortunately, in my opinion, both books fail in their stated aims, although Refinding the Object, in particular, may be useful for purposes other than those stated.
What is most distinctive about the Scharffs' approach from the clinical angle is their willingness to use and integrate various modalities of treatment, including individual psychotherapy and psychoanalysis, couples and family treatment, and sex therapy. In their work they frequently change, add, or drop modalities. For example, an initial family assessment