title: [The father's idealization and devaluation].
abstract: The father's importance is described in terms of contrasting and complementary aspects with regard to child's mother. Even in cases of actual fatherlessness the child will develop an early representation, which is characterized by idealizing processes. Idealization is understood as a developmentally adequate process, the limitation of which helps the maturing child to accept realities and thereby find his/her place in the succession of the generations. Two case histories illustrate the pathological meaning of unprocessed idealizations
authors.affiliation: hg.metzger@dpv-mail.de
authors.forename: Hans-Geert
authors.initials: HG
authors.lastname: Metzger
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003674:Defense Mechanisms; D005201:Fantasy; D005219:Father-Child Relations; D005260:Female; D005783:Gender Identity; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D009769:Object Attachment; D010333:Paternal Deprivation; D011936:Reality Testing; D014473:Unconscious, Psychology; D055815:Young Adult