TY - JOUR
T1 - Mental representations in personality development, psychopathology, and the therapeutic process
AU - Blatt, Sidney J.
AU - Auerbach, John S.
AU - Levy, Kenneth N.
PY - 1997/12
Y1 - 1997/12
N2 - This article considers the construct of mental representation from the perspectives of psychoanalytic object-relations theory and cognitive developmental psychology and the congruence of these formulations with research and theory in cognitive science and social cognition. Concepts of mental representation are applied to the study of psychopathology, personality assessment, interpersonal relationships or attachment styles, and therapeutic progress in the long-term, inpatient treatment of seriously disturbed adolescents and young adults. Understanding of personality development, psychopathology, and the therapeutic process is greatly enhanced by this constructivist perspective, which considers the construction of mental representations or cognitive-affective schemas to be a central constituent of personality development and organization.
AB - This article considers the construct of mental representation from the perspectives of psychoanalytic object-relations theory and cognitive developmental psychology and the congruence of these formulations with research and theory in cognitive science and social cognition. Concepts of mental representation are applied to the study of psychopathology, personality assessment, interpersonal relationships or attachment styles, and therapeutic progress in the long-term, inpatient treatment of seriously disturbed adolescents and young adults. Understanding of personality development, psychopathology, and the therapeutic process is greatly enhanced by this constructivist perspective, which considers the construction of mental representations or cognitive-affective schemas to be a central constituent of personality development and organization.
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U2 - 10.1037/1089-2680.1.4.351
DO - 10.1037/1089-2680.1.4.351
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:0000055211
SN - 1089-2680
VL - 1
SP - 351
EP - 374
JO - Review of General Psychology
JF - Review of General Psychology
IS - 4
ER -