One hundred and ten participants of the Conference on Psychoanalytic Education and Research (COPER) assembled at The Homestead in Hot Springs, Virginia, from September 29th to October 4, 1974 to review the previously distributed position papers of nine Commissions. Two years earlier these Commissions were charged by the Planning Committee to address themselves to three general areas: (1) philosophy, objectives and practices of psychoanalytic education, (2) the relationship of psychoanalysis to social issues as well as its interface with the other behavioral sciences, and (3) psychoanalysis as science, with particular emphasis on psychoanalytic research. The Chairman of the Planning Committee is Dr. Herbert S. Gaskill and the other members include Doctors Kenneth T. Calder, Edward D. Joseph, Francis McLaughlin, Burness E. Moore, George H. Pollock, Albert J. Solnit, Robert S. Wallerstein and Edward M. Weinshel. A Subcommittee which conducted surveys included Doctors Philip S. Holzman and George H. Pollock, Co-Chairmen and Dr. Ernest A. Haggard and Helen Ross.
The nine Commissions originally had a complement of 180 members. Although members were primarily psychoanalysts, they also included educators, candidates, researchers, and representatives of allied professions.
The Commissions included: I. The Tripartite System of Psychoanalytic Education (Joan Fleming, M.D., Chairman and Stanley S. Weiss, M.D., Recorder); II. The Ideal Institute (Stanley Goodman, M.D., Chairman and Herbert J. Schlesinger, Ph.D., Recorder); III. Age and the Psychoanalytic Career (Samuel Ritvo, M.D., Chairman and Marshall
Edelson, M.D., Recorder); IV. Relationship of Psychoanalysis to Universities (Bernard Holland, M.D., Chairman and Richard S. Ward, M.D., Recorder); V. Relationship of Psychoanalysis to Current Changes in Medicine and Psychiatric Education (Paul G. Myerson, M.D., Chairman and William Meissner, M.D., Recorder); VI. Psychoanalytic Education and the Allied Disciplines (David Kairys, M.D., Chairman and Robert N. Emde, Recorder); VII. Psychoanalytic Research (Morton F. Reiser, M.D., Chairman and Peter H. Knapp, M.D., Recorder); VIII. Relationship of Psychoanalysis to Social and Community Issues Reginald S. Lourie, M.D., Chairman and Gene Gordon, M.D., Recorder); IX. Child Analysis (Calvin F. Settlage, M.D., Chairman and Selma Kramer, M.D. Recorder).
The Conference was organized around a critical discussion of each of the final Commission reports. At each of nine plenary sessions a formal discussant presented a careful evaluation or a probing extension of the report, after which the assembled participants congregated into eight designated discussion groups to further question, assess and make recommendations for implementation. These discussion groups were designed to provide a cross-sectional representation from each of the original Commissions. Therefore, each group had participants from all of the Commissions, participants who might further supplement and clarify issues. The individual discussants from each of the Commission reports were Dr. Edward D. Joseph for Commission I.; Dr. Alan J. Eisnitz for Commission II.; Dr. Henriette R. Klein for Commission III.; Dr. José Barchilon for Commission IV.; Dr. Elizabeth B. Davis for Commission V.; Dr. Kenneth T. Calder for Commission VI.; Dr. Philip S. Holzman for Commission VII.; Dr. George H. Pollock for Commission VIII. and Dr. Edward M. Weinshel for Commission IX. There was a consensus that the designated speakers were effective in evoking stimulating exchanges within the Discussion Groups.
The individual groups organized to further discuss the issues raised by all nine Commissions were led by Dr. Charlotte Babcock with Dr. Robert N. Emde, Recorder; Dr. Homer C. Curtis with Dr. Paul H. Ornstein, Recorder; Mrs. Selma Fraiberg with Dr. Jerome D. Oremland, Recorder; Dr. Robert W. Gibson with Dr. Robert M. Gilliland, Recorder; Dr. Leo Madow with Dr. John F. Kelly, Recorder; Dr. James T. McLaughlin with Dr. Mardi J. Horowitz as Recorder; Dr. Leonard L. Shengold with Dr. Norman Atkins as Recorder; Dr. Robert J. Stoller with Dr. Paul J. Fink, Recorder.
Each member of the Planning Committee systematically visited all the Discussion Groups, gathering impressions while actively participating themselves. On the final day of the meeting, a Plenary Session was devoted to the presentations of synthesized summations of the discussions, prepared by Drs. Albert J. Solnit and Robert S. Wallerstein. This was followed by a direct exchange with participants from the floor.
The summations, the exchanges, the impressions of the Planning Committee, the reports of the Recorders, and the original Commission reports are to be the basis of a formal panel at the Fall Meetings of the APsaA on December 14th, 1974. Possible plans for a later publication of a report of the Conference are being considered to promote wide dissemination of the experiences and shared observations of the original participants.
To implement the recommendations arising from the Conference, a post—COPER committee, to be chaired by Dr. Victor Calef, was appointed.
This conference originated in a suggestion by Dr. Bernard Bandler to Dr. Albert J. Solnit in December, 1970, when Dr. Solnit was President of the APsaA. Although Federal support had been anticipated, such funds failed to materialize. Supporting contributions from the Grant Foundation, Dr. Bettina Warburg, and an anonymous contributor permitted the Association to maintain the original goals. The participants in the Conference agreed to attend the six-day conference at their own expense. The Homestead proved to be an appropriate meeting place, providing an atmosphere for undisturbed reflection in a setting of scenic tranquility.
Samuel Abrams, M.D.