Attachment and separation–individuation: two ways of looking at the mother–infant relationship

^†This paper, published with permission, is a version of “Attachment and separation–individuation: two ways of looking at the mother–infant relationship” by Anni Bergman, Inga Blom, and Daniella Polyak, originally printed in Akhtar, S. (ed.) (2012) The mother and her child: Clinical aspects of attachment, separation and loss(Margaret S. Mahler). New York: Jason Aronson.

Abstract

The early development of two sisters was observed in a naturalistic setting as part of the research contributing to an understanding of the separation–individuation process. Forty years later, the women were administered the Adult Attachment Inventory (AAI). The results of the AAI, which were unexpected and surprising, are used in this paper to add to the understanding of the earlier observations, and to demonstrate how both theories together can be used to enrich our understanding of the earliest relationship.

Key words:

• Margaret Mahler
• separation–individuation
• attachment
• John Bowlby
• Mary Ainsworth
• Strange Situation
• Adult Attachment Inventory

Acknowledgments

We wish to express our thanks to Lucia Ruedenberg, PhD, for helping with the organization of this complex data. We would also like to thank Miriam Steele, PhD, and Carol George, PhD, for coding the AAIs, and Claudia Mazzeschi for collecting the AAIs.

Notes

^† This paper, published with permission, is a version of “Attachment and separation–individuation: two ways of looking at the mother–infant relationship” by Anni Bergman, Inga Blom, and Daniella Polyak, originally printed in Akhtar, S. (ed.) (2012) The mother and her child: Clinical aspects of attachment, separation and loss(Margaret S. Mahler). New York: Jason Aronson.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Anni Bergman

Authors

Anni Bergman, PhD, is founder and former co-director of the Anni Bergman Parent-Infant Program, and is with the New York University Postdoctoral Program in Psychotherapy and Psychoanalysis, and the Institute for Psychoanalytic Training and Research.

Inga Blom

Inga Blom, PhD, is a staff/supervising psychologist at Lenox Hill Hospital, New York City, and a candidate in psychoanalysis at the New York Psychoanalytic Institute. She is also in private practice with children and adults in New York City.

Daniella Polyak

Daniella Polyak, BA, is a Master's candidate in psychoanalysis and philosophy at the New School for Social Research, New York.

Linda Mayers

Linda Mayers, PhD, is a training and supervising analyst, and former director of training at the Institute of the Postgraduate Psychoanalytic Society. She is also an associate adjunct professor at LaGuardia Community College, City University of New York, and is in private practice in New York City.