Self-Narratives and Dysregulated Affective States: The Neuropsychological Links between Self-Narratives, Attachment, Affect, and Cognition

Recent dovetailing developments in psychoanalysis and neuroscience are increasingly providing clinicians with the ability to understand emotional difficulties and therapeutic processes in new and integrated ways. In particular, one's level of affect regulation has emerged as an important aspect of emotional wellbeing (Fonagy, 2008; Jurist, 2008; Schore, 2009; Siegel, 2007; Tronick, 2007). Not surprisingly, the emphasis on regulating debilitating emotions has come from diverse clinical approaches, ranging from Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (Beck et al., 1990) to nonconscious affect regulation between analyst and patient (Schore & Schore, 2008; Stern et al., 1998). It is important, then, to further understand the somatic, emotional, and cognitive aspects of dysregulated states. Indeed, neuropsychological research in areas such as early development and attachment, affect and cognition, implicit memories, and intersubjectivity has opened new windows into some important parameters of dysregulation.