Transcript Developmental Tasks - Long Island University

Developmental Tasks
Associated with Toddlerhood
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Age range (18-36 months)
Differentiation of self and object
representations
Integration of affectively distinct object
representations ( object constancy)
Increased sense of autonomy
Anxiety over regression to symbiotic state
Beginning internalization of parental
demands (superego formation)
Increased exploration of environment
(↑locomotion)
Goal-corrected partnership (Bowlby)
Mahler’s Theory of
Separation-Individuation
4 Subphases
(overlapping with oral
and anal stages)
Differentiation (“hatching”) and
the development of body image (410 months)
 Practicing (9-15 months)
 Rapprochement (15-24 months)
 Consolidation of individuation and
beginnings of emotional object
constancy (20-36 months)
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Consolidation of
Individuation/Emotional Object
Constancy Subphase
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Internalization of constant, positively
cathected, inner image of mother
Object permanence often precedes
object constancy (A-B paradigm)
Stable self boundaries are attained
Unification of good and bad object into
whole representation that is final
achievement in development of mature
object relationship ( influence of Klein)
Toddler able to use reliable internal
image in mother’s physical absence—
temporary separations lengthened and
better tolerated
Mahler’s advances in communication
(goal-corrected partnership)
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Three examples
– First girl could tolerate separation from
mother even though she did not know
where she was (secure attachment, p.113)
– Boy held conflictual, ambiguous inner image
of mother, wanting to avoid her (avoidant
attachment, p.113)
– Second girl could not tolerate even brief
separation from mother (resistant
attachment, p. 114)
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Reunion behaviors of all three toddlers
also predicted by attachment theory
(p.114)
Prominence of Ambivalence in
Rapprochement Subphase
Need to believe in mother’s omnipotence
(wish fulfillment and need gratification)
 Need to protect oneself against
reengulfment (regression to symbiotic
phase) and be separate and omnipotent)
 Integration of disparate representations
diminishes ambivalence
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Lyons-Ruth’s Response to
Mahler's Theory
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Normality and deviance not clearly
established—ambivalent behaviors considered
normal by Mahler during rapprochement are
considered deviant by attachment researchers
Attachment research suggests that
ambivalence represents infants’ exaggerated
attempt to attain feelings of security
Idea of psychopathology as fixation or
arrested development is challenged
Different assumptions—individuation vs.
attachment security
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Decreased separation distress at
separation  healthy self-assertion?
– Secure toddlers more distressed than
avoidant toddlers
– Secure toddlers have more desirable
outcomes
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Persistence
Compliance
Peer competence
Autonomous problem-solving
Affective sharing
Requests for assistance
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Lyons-Ruth calls for need to understand early
interpersonal interactions as well as
intrapsychic conflicts and defenses related to
aggression and libido
– For Mahler lack of separation distress signifies
increased differentiation and integration of
maternal object representation
– For Lyons-Ruth lack of separation distress signifies
defense against anxiety aroused by physical
absence of mother
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Perhaps “normal” ambivalence associated
with split representations occurs earlier (e.g.,
8-12 months; see Rogers et al., 1993)
Developmental Outcomes of
High-Risk Toddlers
(Bernstein & Hans)
Drug exposure will have negative
impact on these developmental
outcomes
 Cumulative social-environmental risks
will have greater negative impact than
drug exposure per se on outcomes
 Poor maternal communication will
interact with drug-exposure status
(biological vulnerability) to produce
poorest outcomes
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Methodology
– 28 methadone-exposed toddlers and a matched
comparison group of 43 toddlers followed
longitudinally from pregnancy to 24 months
– Mothers administered instruments assessing the
following (assessing cumulative risk)
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WAIS Full-Scale IQ
Years of Education
SES
Severity of psychological stressors
Level of adaptive functioning
Quality of maternal communication (4,12,24 months)
– Infants administered instruments assessing the
following:
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Bayley Scales of Infant Development—IBR (Infant Behavior Record)
– Attention
– Social resiliency
– MDI (Mental Development Index)
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Quality of infant communication (24 months)
Gender
Findings
– No significant differences in outcome between drugexposed and comparison toddlers
– Stress, adaptive functioning, 24-month maternal
communication, cumulative risk differed significantly for
two groups
– Cumulative risk significantly predicted MDI, attention, social
resiliency, child communication in methadone group alone
– Cumulative risk significantly predicted only
child communication in comparison group
alone
– Maternal communication at 24 months
significantly predicted child communication at
24 months. In both groups—no interaction
effect
– But interaction effect between drug-exposure
status and maternal communication at 4 and
12 months on MDI, attention, and social
resiliency assessed at 24 months (evidence for
critical period of maternal communication and
drug-exposure interaction effects?)
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Limitations
– Structure of daily routines not assessed
– Communication in home settings not
assessed
– Relationships with nonmaternal figures not
assessed
– Level of biological effects of exposure or
amount of exposure not assessed