On Latency: Individual Development, Narcissistic Impulse Reminiscence and Cultural Ideal

Latency is a developmental period that plays a transitional role, like "a bridge", between early childhood and adolescence (the beginning of early adulthood). However, the latency period is a subject that has not been studied enough in psychoanalysis in recent years.Most of the psychoanalytic frameworks that have built on and extended Freud's work have focussed their attention either on the understanding of the child's early development (the early dyadic and triadic relationship of the infant and the early organization of the mind), or on the understanding of adolescent development, when sexuality explodes - accompanied by all unconscious libidinal elements from the early organization which were repressed in latency. As a result, interest in the latency period has been put in the shade: left dormant as its definition would imply.The aim of this book is to raise a number of relevant questions, which have not received much attention in psychoanalysis up to now. To this end empirical findings are related to conceptual elaboration in order to advance knowledge. The book shows convincing evidence that this kind of work can contribute to a better understanding of cultural pattern influences on the child's emotional development process in latency, in particular contributing to an elaboration of psychoanalytic concepts for this period.

About the Author :
M. Leticia Franieck grew up in Ribeirao Preto, Brazil, and studied psychology at the University of Sao Paulo. She practiced as Clinical Psychologist in Brazil for many years before moving to Germany in 2000. There she carried out research into cultural differences in latency children's representations of family relationships under the supervision of Michael Gunter, leading to the award of her PhD in 2005. Since then she has lived in Brazil and Germany continuing her research into children's representations at the University of Tubingen. She is currently researching Brazilian street children in order to understand their strengths and their vulnerabilities. Her clinical practice is in a specialist treatment unit for offenders with drug and alcohol problems. She learnt a lot about latency from her twin sons and now is learning from them about adolescence! Michael Gunter is professor for child and adolescent psychiatry and medical director in the Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy for Children and Adolescents at the University of Tubingen. He is a child and adolescent psychiatrist and psychoanalyst for adults, children and adolescents and training analyst (DPV/IPA). In addition, he edits the journal 'Kinderanalyse'.

Review :
ContentsLATENCYCENTRAL CONCEPTS TO UNDERSTAND THE LATENCY ON GROUP PSYCHOLOGY AND CULTURERESEARCHDISCUSSION