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The interface of empirical work with child psychoanalysis at the Anna Freud Centre is part of the tradition of systematic study and research pioneered over many years by Anna Freud and her colleagues (A. Freud, 1962; Sandler, 1962; A. Freud 1965).
George Moran initiated a program of work at the Anna Freud Centre, which, starting with the work on juvenile onset diabetes (Fonagy et al., 1991b), led us to ask fundamental questions about the nature of the child psychoanalysis, with important implications for technique. We acknowledged our debt by dedicating the lecture on which this paper is based to George Moran, whom we see as a worthy successor to Marianne Kris, both of them working within the tradition of Anna Freud.
This article starts with observations that imply the need for a change in some aspects of our psychoanalytic model. Throughout child psychoanalysis is used to illustrate both the need for change and the character of the revision that is required. The authors, however, assert that, as is so often the case for explorations in child analysis, these ideas may be extrapolated to psychoanalytic approaches to adults, specifically individuals with borderline personality disorder.
Peter Fonagy, Ph.D. is Freud Memorial Professor of Psychoanalysis, University College London; Director, Sub-Department of Clinical Health Psychology, University College London; Director of Research, Anna Freud Centre; and Co-ordinating Director, Child and Family Center and Center for Outcomes Research and Effectiveness, Menninger Foundation.
Mary Target, Ph.D. is Senior Lecturer, University College London, and Deputy Director of Research, Anna Freud Centre.
An earlier version of this article was presented as the 1997 Marianne Kris Memorial Lecture at the annual meeting of the Association for Child Psychoanalysis Inc., March 1997, Cancun, Mexico. The authors would like to acknowledge the vital contributions of Dr. Efrain Bleiberg and Drs. Miriam and Howard Steele to the thinking and empirical work that are drawn on in this article.
© 1998 The Analytic Press