Mahler

Question 1

What is Mahlers Separation-Individuation Theory?

Answer 1

Mother-child relationship determines later development

development of self through interpersonal relationship with mother

process of separation from mom in order to develop self (personality characteristics)

infant innate drive/capacity to be independent

gains accumulate (1 stage–>next)

Question 2

What is the normal infantile autism stage?

Answer 2

0-1 mo
focus on inner psychological state
no difference between self and mother

Question 3

What is the age and abilitities of the symbiosis stage?

Answer 3

1-5 mo

child response to outer stimuli
mother and child are still one

Question 4

What does the infant need during the symbiotic stage?

Answer 4

Needs positive experiences with nurturing mom = feel secure in exploring

Question 5

How is the symbiotic phase disrupted? What results in later adult dev?

Answer 5

negative experiences with a non-nurturing mother

leads to distrust, feeling alone, vulnerable, clingy

Question 6

What is the first substage of separation process comprised of?

Answer 6

differentiation between mom and self
innate drive to explore
observe strangers & external stimuli 
separation & stranger anxiety (7 mo)
child uses mom as point of orientation

Question 7

What is the age of the Hatching phase?

Answer 7

5-9 months

Question 8

What results in success during the Hatching phase?

Answer 8

trusting mother = little fear of strangers

Question 9

What results in failure during Hatching phase?

Answer 9

mothers control & need to be mirrored

leads to stranger/separation anxiety (no trust in symbiotic phase)

Question 10

What is the Practicing phase?

Answer 10

active & bold exploration using mother as base
love affair with world
crawl/walk

Question 11

What results in success during Practicing stage?

Answer 11

mom allows child to explore

moms attitude: quiet & stable

Question 12

What results in failure during practicing stage? Later dev?

Answer 12

mom is overprotective / anxious

later dev = distant / rebellious

Question 13

What age is in the practicing phase?

Answer 13

9-15 months

Question 14

What is the rapproachment phase?

Answer 14

realizes need for mom & independence
(erikson: doubt)
share discoveries w/mom
physical mobility = separation from mom

Question 15

What results in success during rapproachment phase?

Answer 15

mom allows child to leave and return without punishment or engulfment

Question 16

What results in failure during rapproachment phase?

Answer 16

mom is too impatient = engulfment (fear of no escape) leads to: later detachment

mom is unavailable = abandonment

Question 17

What age is the child in during rapproachment?

Answer 17

15-24 months

Question 18

what is the age and final stage of mahlers theory?

Answer 18

24-36 mo
constancy of self & object

creates positive internal image of mother and can function apart from her

see others as separate

Question 19

WDisruptions in the separation-individuation process lead to what?

Answer 19

inability to maintain reliable sense of identity

Question 20

What results in success during self & object constancy?

Answer 20

sense of trust with mother as reliable & predictable

object permanence

Question 21

During what stage does the child begin to become aware of some differentiation btwn self and mother?

Answer 21

Hatching phase

Question 22

What stage is the child in during 15-24 months?

Answer 22

Rapproachment

Question 23

What stage is the child in during 9-15 months?

Answer 23

Practicing

Question 24

What stage is the child in during 24-36 months?

Answer 24

Constancy of self & object

Question 25

What stage is the child in during 1-5 months?

Answer 25

Symbiosis

Question 26

What stage is the child in during 5-9 months?

Answer 26

hatching