[Guilt and subjective feelings of guilt in the context of separation and divorce].
In this paper the vicissitudes of guilt and responsibility and development and function of guilt feelings are discussed in the context of the typical family dynamics in cases of divorce (delegation, claiming of loyalty, parentification). The "guilt" of the parents is often transformed to the feeling of guilt of the children in the sense of a traumatic feeling of guilt. This happens especially when sufficient mourning is not possible. Feelings of guilt by reason of the mere existence of the child (basic feelings of guilt) and the oedipal and other feelings of guilt out of rivalry can be reinforced (feelings of guilt out of vitality). Strivings for separation may be connected with guilt by the children (feelings of guilt regarding separation). The recognition of the adults' responsibility (especially choice of partners, functionalization of the child to facilitate the separation from the own parents, to maintain the image of an intact family or the struggle for power at the cost of the children) diminishes the feelings of guilt of the children.
Hirsch
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D000328:Adult; D001010:Anxiety, Separation / Q000523:psychology*; D002648:Child; D004243:Divorce / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006117:Grief; D006167:Guilt; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010287:Parent-Child Relations; D011573:Psychoanalytic Interpretation