I have tried to draw attention to the wished-for self image and to place its formation in the course of child development. I have described its role in normal psychic functioning, particularly in relation to the process of identification, and I have delineated specific pathology associated with it. In addition, I have attempted to differentiate the wished-for self image from the ego ideal, and to point up its importance in relation to ambition and work. What has not been explored in this paper is: what determines the outcome of the developmental crisis connected with the discovery of the distinction between the self representation and the wished-for self image? What are the factors that allow one child to pursue his goals of matching his

models with hope and enthusiasm and that lead another child to retreat from the painful reality into hopelessness and symptoms? A better understanding of the wished-for self image may help us answer these questions, as well as contribute to the clarification of theory and refinement of technique.