The study of infant observation is widely used as part of training to become a psychoanalytic psychotherapist and this book addresses reasons for this. It examines whether the study of infant observation can be shown to contribute to the development of the capacities and skills that are needed for becoming a psychoanalytic psychotherapist. Considerable attention is given to examining what these might be and, from looking closely at techniques employed within a therapy session, the author creates a set of skills likely to be accepted by the community of practitioners. She also carefully...

Psychoanalytic infant observation is frequently used in training psychoanalytic psychotherapists and allied professionals, but increasingly its value as a research method is being recognised, particularly in understanding developmental processes in vulnerable individuals and groups. This book explores the scope of this approach and discusses its strengths and limitations from a methodological and philosophical point of view. Infant Observation and Research uses detailed case studies to demonstrate the research potential of the infant observation method. Divided into three sections this book...