title: General principles of self psychology: a position statement.
abstract: In the more than twenty-five years since Kohut formulated a psychology of the self, the basic theory has undergone many revisions and additions. In the course of broadening from a focus on narcissism and empathy into a general theory of normal and pathological development, self psychology has taken so many different directions that the question can be asked, Does self psychology remain essentially a single theory with different descriptors--a theory of a self-selfobject matrix, a theory of intersubjectivity, a theory of motivational systems, and so on? A concise statement of general principles is intended to contribute to a dialogue between advocates of the views presented here and those who hold different views of theory and practice, within and withoutself psychology.
authors.affiliation: Washington Psychoanalytic Institute, USA.
authors.forename: J D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Lichtenberg
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Wolf
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D004645:Empathy; D006801:Humans; D008016:Life Change Events; D008875:Middle Aged; D008960:Models, Psychological; D009042:Motivation; D009289:Narcissism; D011572:Psychoanalysis; D011575:Psychoanalytic Therapy; D019455:Self Psychology; D014473:Unconscious, Psychology