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Based on the method of infant observation developed by Esther Bick, this book
represents the distillation of forty years’ experience. Its publication last December was marked by a short conference, in which the contributions of this method of infant observation to social work training were discussed, and links with the developments in empirical psychological research were emphasised. The book makes a timely contribution to the current developments in cross-fertilisation between different fields of research into infant development. Hopefully it will also promote such developments within the psychoanalytic field too.
The book is divided into two parts. The first chapters consider theoretical aspects of infant development and the method of observation. The second and longer part gives clinical material from the observations of eight child psychotherapists (including one set of twins).
The theoretical chapters are well laid out and clearly written. They describe the authors’ psychoanalytic understanding of infant development, and the relevance of infant observation to clinical practice. In the third chapter Michael Rustin discusses the theory of this method and reflects on the research model that could be developed. He refers also the links with and differences from empirical research.
The clinical chapters contain a great deal of fascinating and moving material, which is presented as recorded by the observers, leaving room for the reader's own views and understanding to develop.
This is an important book and a valuable (and inexpensive) addition to any psychotherapist's library.