Narrative of a Child Analysis

The Conduct of the Psycho-analysis of Children as Seen in the Treatment of a Ten Year Old Boy

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Summary

Melanie Klein gives a detailed account of the analysis of a ten year old boy, Richard. Klein describes the day to day course of the analysis interpreting Richard`s drawing, play, verbal associations and reports of dreams. Also included is the reproduction of the drawings made by the patient, the analysis of which is elaborated in this text.

This fascinating and deeply instructive case study shows the fluctuations which characterise a psycho-analysis and reveals the dynamics of the steps which eventually lead to progress in treatment.

In a series of notes accompanying the clinical description, Melanie Klein comments upon the clinical material, linking the actual instances to more theoretical conclusions. In doing so, she has provided an invaluable guide to the technique of psycho-analysing children.

Reviews

Klein's ideas about children, along with her many innovations in adult therapy, placed her in the top ranks of a group of 20th-century psychoanalysts who pioneered the study of early childhood psychology
Boston Globe

About the author

Melanie Klein

Melanie Klein was born in Vienna in 1882. At about fourteen she decided to study medicine. With her brother's help she learned enough Greek and Latin to pass into the Gymnasium. But her early engagement and subsequent marriage in 1903 brought a halt to her plans. Years later, discovering a booklet on dreams by Freud, she turned her attention to psychoanalysis. At this time she was living in Budapest and began her own analysis with Ferenczi, who encouraged her interest in the analysis of children. In 1921 she moved to Berlin to continue her work with children, supported by Dr Karl Abraham. In 1926 she moved to London where she worked and lived until her death in 1960.

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