The Psychoanalysis of a Psychotic Child1

A brief description of this child has been given under Case B in the paper, "A Contribution to the Problem of Psychoses in Childhood" (3). In the present paper an attempt will be made to give a more detailed description of this child and the course of his analysis of 2½ years' duration. The analysis was not carried to completion.

Allen was brought to the Southard School when he was 7½ years of age. The reason for referral was the boy's acutely disturbed behavior while at summer camp. The report from the camp described him as highly excitable and having outstanding anal and sexual habits. He was supposed to have grabbed the penises of other boys when they went swimming or were undressing, or he would chase the other children excitedly with feces on a stick. The camp director had felt that the only way to quiet him down was to remove him from the group. He had been sent to live with a young couple, and when alone with them he had resumed his earlier charming but very dependent behavior. They observed, however, his sex play with the dog.

Further investigation revealed that this disturbed behavior was not an isolated episode. In the year preceding the camp experience Allen had been admitted to the first grade of school. The teacher had remarked on his keen intelligence and his rich imagination but found him hard to manage in a group. He would never obey any of the rules. Instead he would get up out of his seat and walk through the classroom as soon as the teacher paid no attention to him. Often he would go to the lavatory to get cups of water, which he would throw at the children. He was also keenly interested in the excretory functions of the other children. The teacher had to keep him out of the bathroom when others were there. The only occasion when he really got along was when the whole class participated in fantasy games of his creation.

Allen's career in kindergarten had not been much better. The report was that he had been uncontrollable, never obey