Adolescence and Developmental Breakdown

Moses Laufer (1926 - 2006) was a Canadian psychoanalyst who pioneered work with adolescents and founded the Brent Centre for Young People in London. After moving to London in 1955, he became a member of the British Psycho-Analytical Society, becoming its president in the mid-1980s. He was also chair of the International Psycho-Analytical Association. He published a great number of papers in the 'International Journal of Psychoanalysis', and authored several influential works including 'Adolescence and Developmental Breakdown' (1984), 'The Suicidal Adolescent' (1995), and 'Adolescent Breakdown and Beyond' (1997).

• Preface , Adolescent Development, Pathology, and Breakdown , Adolescence and the Final Sexual Organization , Developmental Breakdown , The Body Image and Masturbation , The Female Adolescent, the Relationship to the Body, and Masturbation , The Superego, the Idealized Body Image, and Puberty , Breakdown and the Treatment Process , Breakdown, Transference, and Reconstruction , Object Relationships, the Use of the Body, and Transference , Attempted Suicide in Adolescence: A Psychotic Episode , Clinical Issues , Compulsive Behavior and the Central Masturbation Fantasy: Clinical Implications , Developmental Foreclosure , Countertransference and the Adolescent’s Sexual Development , Assessment , Assessment of Psychopathology in Adolescence , The Work of Assessment

'Perhaps the greatest contribution of the book lies in the bold and innovative attempts the authors have made to treat adolescents, including suicidal ones, whom many would consider untreatable. The book is highly recommended not only for the psychoanalyst who works with adolescents, but also for psychoanalysts in general.'- Carl P. Adatto, Psychoanalytic Quarterly'The authors reveal themselves to be wise and tolerant, flexible, and demonstrably caring. Analytical therapists should read this book, of course, but others who have the care of adolescents will find much to interest them.'- Rowland Berry, Times Educational Supplement'I strongly recommend this book to anyone interested in the seriously disturbed adolescent.'- Donald J. Brooksbank, Journal of Adolescence'This exciting book.should become required reading for every psychiatric unit that deals.with adolescents.'- Leslie Sohn, Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy'The reader. will be enriched on every page. One can only hope that many analysts, even those who are not concerned with young subjects, will benefit from reading it.'- Serge Lebovici, Bulletin of the European Psychoanalytic Federation