209: Adult Development
Instructor(s)
Mary Sickles, M.D.
March 26 – May 28, 2025
Wednesdays, 7:00 – 8:20 pm
Co-requisites
Candidates must have at least one case in supervised psychoanalysis to be eligible for second year courses.
Course Description
This course will aim to present a psychoanalytic understanding of development in adulthood. We will also discuss how concepts of adult development can be used in psychoanalytic assessment and treatment, and we will consider specific clinical problems related to adult developmental issues. Topics covered will include the transition into adulthood, young, middle, and late adulthood, marriage, parenthood, divorce, midlife crisis, working life and aging. Clinical examples of analytic work at different points in adult development will help illustrate the subject. Dr. Norman Straker will join the course for one evening to teach a class on the concept of death anxiety.
Educational Objectives
Upon completion of this course, participants should be able to:
- define development in adulthood and differentiate it from other forms of life change
- list life tasks associated with early, middle and late adulthood.
- apply and integrate developmental knowledge of adulthood into their clinical work with adults of all ages, both in diagnostic assessment and in psychoanalytic treatment.
Evaluation Method
Each student’s participation in class discussion and his or her demonstration of understanding of the course objectives and reading material is assessed in a written evaluation by the instructor(s).
These articles are protected under relevant copyright regulations. They are available in the New York Psychoanalytic Society & Institute Electronic Reserve for your convenience, and for your personal use.
READINGS NOT YET CONFIRMED.
I. Introduction
CLASS 1: March 26, 2025
REQUIRED READINGS
Colarusso, C.A. Nemiroff, R.A. (1979). Some Observations and Hypotheses about the Psychoanalytic Theory of Adult Development. Int. J. Psycho-Anal., 60:59-71.
Settlage, C.F. Curtis, J. Lozoff, M. Silberschatz, G. Simburg, E.J. (1988). Conceptualizing Adult Development. J. Amer. Psychoanal. Assn., 36:347-369.
SUPPLEMENTAL READINGS
Abrams, S. (1978). The Teaching and Learning of Psychoanalytic Developmental Psychology. J. Amer. Psychoanal. Assn., 26:387-406.
Erikson, E. (1966). Eight Ages of Man. Int’l. J. Psychiatry, 2:281-300.
Freud, A. (1963). The Concept of Developmental Lines. Psychoanal. St. Child, 18:245-265.
Peyser, E.R. (1998). Classics Revisited: Erik Erikson’s Childhood and Society. J. Amer. Psychoanal. Assn., 46:249-255.
Settlage, C. (1992). Psychoanalytic Observations on Adult Development in Life and in the Therapeutic Relationship. Psa and Contemporary Thought, 15:348-374 .
II. Introduction 2 and Critiques
CLASS 2: April 2, 2025
REQUIRED READINGS
Abrams, S. (1990). The Psychoanalytic Process: The Developmental and the Integrative. Psychoanal Q., 59:650-677.
Hamer, F.M. (2002). Guards at the Gate: Race, Resistance, and Psychic Reality. J. Amer. Psychoanal. Assn., 50(4):1219-1237.
SUPPLEMENTAL READINGS
Emde, R.N. (1985). From Adolescence To Midlife: Remodeling The Structure Of Adult Development. J. Amer. Psychoanal. Assn., 33S(Supplement):59-112.
Hauser, S.T., Kates, W.W. (1982). Book Essay: Understanding Adults. Psychoanal. Contemp. Thought, 5:117-146.
Jacobs, D.H. (1992). A Critical Review of Psychoanalytic Adult Developmental Psychology. Psychoanalysis and Contemporary Thought, 15:523-547.
Neubauer, P.B. (2003). Some Notes on the Role of Development in Psychoanalytic Assistance, Differentiation and Regression. Psychoanal. St. Child, 58:165-171.
III. Young Adulthood
CLASS 3: April 9, 2025
REQUIRED READINGS
Escoll, P.J. (1987). Psychoanalysis of Young Adults: An Overview. Psychoanal. Inq., 7:5-30.
Colarusso, C.A. (1990). The Third Individuation—The Effect of Biological Parenthood on Separation Individuation Processes In Adulthood. Psychoanal. St. Child, 45:179-194.
SUPPLEMENTAL READINGS
Colarusso, C.A. (1995). Traversing Young Adulthood: The Male Journey from 20 to 40. Psychoanal. Inq., 15:75-91.
Jacobs, T.J., Chused, J.F. (1987). Psychoanalysis of the Young Adult: Theory and Technique. J. Amer. Psychoanal. Assn., 35:175-186.
Kernberg, O. (1974) Mature love: Prerequisites and characteristics. JAPA 22:743-768.
Miller, J. (2017). Young or Emerging Adulthood: A Psychoanalytic View. Psychoanal. St. Child, 70:8-21.
Rangell, L. (1990) Seventeen: The Approach to the Portal of Adult Life. In New Dimensions In Adult Development, Eds. Nemiroff, R. and Colarusso, C. Basic Books.
IV. Parenthood
CLASS 4: April 16, 2025
REQUIRED READINGS
Notman, M.T. (2006). Mothers and Daughters as Adults. Psychoanal. Inq., 26:137-153.
Diamond, M.J. (1998). Fathers with Sons: Psychoanalytic Perspectives on Good Enough Fathering Throughout the Life Cycle. Gender and Psychoanalysis, 3:243-299
SUPPLEMENTAL READINGS
Adams, C.J. (2019). Black Fatherhood in a Time of Fluidity. Psychoanal. Perspect., 16(3):326-339.
Benedek, T. (1959). Parenthood as a Developmental Phase—A Contribution to the Libido Theory. J. Amer. Psychoanal. Assn., 7:389-417.
Cath, S. (1986). Fathering from Infancy to Old Age: A Selective Overview of Recent Psychoanalytic Contributions. Psychoanal. Rev., 73D:65-75.
Furman, E. (1982). Mothers have to be there to be Left. Psychoanal. St. Child, 37:15-28.
Furman, E. (1996) On Motherhood. JAPA sup 44: 429-447.
Klockars, L., Sirola, R. (2001). The Mother-Daughter Love Affair Across the Generations. Psychoanal. St. Child, 56:219-237.
Liebman, S.J., Abell, S.C. (2000). The Forgotten Parent No More: A Psychoanalytic Reconsideration of Fatherhood. Psychoanal. Psychol., 17:88-105.
Parens, H. (1975) Parenthood as Developmental Phase JAPA 23 :154-165.
Rangell, L. (1970). The Return of the Repressed “Oedipus”. In: Parenthood – Its Psychology and Psychopathology. Eds. Anthony, E.J. and Benedek, T. Boston: Little, Brown & Co. p.325-334.
Schwartz, D. (1984). Psychoanalytic Developmental Perspectives on Parenting. in Parenthood: A Psychodynamic Perspective: Edited by Rebecca S. Cohen, Bertram J. Cohler, and Sidney H. Weissman. New York/London: Guilford Press, p. 356-372.
V. Work
CLASS 5: April 23, 2025
Holmes, D.E. (2006). The Wrecking Effects of Race and Social Class on Self and Success. Psychoanal Q., 75(1):215-235.
Levine, H.B. (1997). Men At Work: Work Ego and Identity in the Analysis of Adult Men. In Work and Its Inhibitions, eds. Socarides, C., Kramer, S., p.143-158.
SUPPLEMENTAL READINGS
Applegarth, A. (1997). Ambition: Normal and Pathological Aspects. In Work and Its Inhibitions, eds. Socarides, C., Kramer, S., p. 241-252.
Applegarth, A. (1976). Some Observations On Work Inhibitions In Women. J. Amer. Psychoanal. Assn., 24S:251-268.
Person, E.S. (1982). Women Working: Fears of Failure, Deviance and Success. J. Amer. Acad. Psychoanal., 10:67-84.
Stuart, J. (2007). Work and Motherhood: Preliminary Report of a Psychoanalytic Study. Psychoanal Q., 76:439-485.
VI. Middle Adulthood
CLASS 6: April 30, 2025
REQUIRED READINGS
Auchincloss, E. & Michels, R. (1989). The Impact of Middle Age on Ambitions and Ideals. In: The Middle Years, eds. J. Oldham & R. Liebert. New Haven, CT: Yale University Press, pp. 40-57.
Colarusso, C.A. (2006). The Absence of A Future: The Effect of Past Experience and Current Developmental Conflicts on a Midlife Analysis. J. Amer. Psychoanal. Assn., 54:919-943.
SUPPLEMENTAL READINGS
Cohler, B. and Galatzer-Levy, R. (1990). “Self, Meaning,and Morale Across the Second Half of Life”. In New Dimensions In Adult Development, Eds. Nemiroff, R. and Colarusso, C. Basic Books.
Hassler, J. Turning Forty in Analysis (1985). In The Race Against Time: Psychotherapy and Psychoanalysis in the Second Half of Life. Eds. Nemiroff, R. Colarusso, C. Springer, 1985.
Jaques, E. (1965). Death and the Mid-Life Crisis. Int. J. Psycho-Anal., 46:502-514.
Miller, E. Development of intimacy at age 50 (1985). In The Race Against Time: Psychotherapy and Psychoanalysis in the Second Half of Life. Eds. Robert A. Nemiroff, Calvin A. Colarusso. Springer, 1985.
Vaillant, G., Koury, S. (1993). Late Midlife Development. In The Course Of Life Vol.6 eds Pollock, Greenspan IUP p 1-22.
VII. Midlife Treatment and Divorce
CLASS 7: May 7, 2025
REQUIRED READINGS
Ellman, J.P. (1996). Analyst and Patient at Midlife. Psychoanal Q., 65:353-371.
Rosbrow Reich, S. (1988). Identity and Growth: A Psychoanalytic Study of Divorce. Psychoanal. Rev., 75:419-441.
SUPPLEMENTAL READINGS
Aronson, S. (2000). Re-Establishing “Holding” in Families of Divorce. J. Infant Child Adolesc. Psychother., 1:39-52.
Shane, E. (2002). The Transformative Effects of Separation and Divorce on Analytic Treatment. Psychoanal. Inq., 22:580-598.
Wallerstein, J., Lewis, J.M. (2007). Sibling Outcomes and Disparate Parenting and Stepparenting After Divorce:: Report From a 10-Year Longitudinal Study. Psychoanal. Psychol., 24:445-458.
Wallerstein, J., Lewis, J., Rosenthal, S.P. (2013). Mothers and Their Children after Divorce: Report from a 25-Year Longitudinal Study. Psychoanalytic Psychology, 30:167-184.
VIII. Late Adulthood
CLASS 8: May 14, 2025
REQUIRED READINGS
Colarusso, C. (1998). Development and Treatment in Late Adulthood. In The Course of Life. Vol. VII pp. 285-317.
Chodorkoff, B. (1990). “The Catastrophic Reaction: Developmental Aspects of a Severe Reaction to Loss in Later Life”. In: New Dimensions In Adult Development, Eds. Nemiroff, R. and Colarusso, C. Basic Books p. 371-383.
SUPPLEMENTAL READINGS
Adelson, M.J. (1998). The Elderly Widower: A Grim Tale. J. Clin. Psychoanal., 7:375-387.
Bemesderfer, S. (1996). A Revised Psychoanalytic View Of Menopause. J. Amer. Psychoanal. Assn., 44S:351-369.
Cath, S., Miller, N.E. (1986). The Psychoanalysis of the Older Patient. J. Amer. Psychoanal. Assn., 34:163-177.
Cath, S. (1998). Grandfatherhood, A Timely Transition: The Last Relationship. In The Course Of Life, Vol. VII , eds. Pollock G., Greenspan. S. , p. 87-102. IUP 1998.
Griffin BP and Grunes JM. (1990). A Developmental approach to Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy with the Aged. In New Dimensions In Adult Development, Eds. Nemiroff, R. and Colarusso, C. Basic Books, p. 267-282.
Hildebrand, H.P. (1987). Psychoanalysis and Aging. Ann. Psychoanal., 15:113-125.
Kernberg, O. (2010). Some Observations on the Process of Mourning. Int. J. Psycho-Anal., 91:601-619.
Levinson, G. A. (1985). “ New Beginnings at Seventy” in The Race Against Time: Psychotherapy and Psychoanalysis in the Second Half of Life. Eds. Robert A. Nemiroff, Calvin A. Colarusso. Springer.
Myers, W.A. (1990). Modifications in the frequency of altered ego states throughout the life-cycle. In New Dimensions in Adult Development, ed. R.A. Nemiroff & C.A. Colarusso. New York: Basic Books, pp. 333-341.
Pollock, G.H. (1998). Aging or Aged: Development or Pathology. In The Course of Life Vol 7, eds. Pollock, Greenspan, IUP, p.41-85.
Quinodoz, D. (2009). Growing old: A psychoanalyst’s point of view. Int. J. Psycho-Anal., 90:773-793.
Settlage, C.F. (1996). Transcending Old Age: Creativity, Development And Psychoanalysis In The Life Of A Centenarian IJP 77:549-564.
IX. Death Anxiety
CLASS 9: May 21, 2025
with Guest Instructor Norman Straker, M.D.
REQUIRED READINGS
Straker N. (2019). Psychodynamic Psychiatry for Patients with Cancer: Survivorship. Psychodynamic Psychiatry, 47(4): 403–424.
Straker, N. (2020). The Treatment Of Cancer Patients Who Die. Psychodynamic Psychiatry, 48(1): 1-25.
SUPPLEMENTAL READINGS
Birger, D., Straker, N., Swiller, H. Chapter 3: Confronting the Fear of Death: Trying to Detoxify Death: Two Memoirs. In: Facing Cancer and the Fear of Death: A Psychoanalytic Perspective on Treatment, edited by Norman Straker.
Straker, N. Chapter 4: The Denial of the Fear of Death by Psychoanalysts. In: Facing Cancer and the Fear of Death: A Psychoanalytic Perspective on Treatment, edited by Norman Straker.
Straker N. (2021). Vicissitudes of Death Anxiety During the Pandemic. Psychodynamic Psychiatry, 49(3): 384–387.
X. Late Adulthood and Overview
CLASS 10: May 28, 2025
REQUIRED READINGS
Plotkin, F. (2000). Treatment of the Older Adult: The Impact on the Psychoanalyst. J. Amer. Psychoanal. Assn., 48:1591-1616.
Horowitz, M. (1989). “The Developmental and Structural Viewpoints: On the Fate of Unconscious Fantasies in Middle Life”. In: The Middle Years, eds. J. Oldham & R. Liebert. New Haven, CT: Yale University Press, p.7-16.
SUPPLEMENTAL READINGS
Arlow, J.A. (1984). Disturbances of the Sense of Time—With Special Reference to the Experience of Timelessness. Psychoanal Q., 53:13-37.
Colarusso, C.A. (1998). A Developmental Line of Time Sense: In Late Adulthood and throughout the Life Cycle. Psychoanal. St. Child, 53:113-140.
Dewald, P.A., Schwartz, H.J. (1993). The Life Cycle of the Analyst: Pregnancy, Illness, and Disability. J. Amer. Psychoanal. Assn., 41:191-207.