Developmental changes and their impact on psychoanalytic technique with emerging adults

ABSTRACT By integrating psychodynamic and developmental perspectives, this contribution reflects on psychotherapy in emerging adults, who are ‘in between’ adolescent and adult patients regarding therapeutic technique. The high mobility of this patient group makes adjustments in the frame and in the indication necessary, and psychodynamic therapists need to reflect on the flexibility and stability of the therapeutic setting. Identity problems occur frequently, but a distinction must be made between intrapsychic identity conflicts that may hamper development, and structural deficits such as identity diffusion. Since autonomy from parents is another central topic, guilt of autonomy and conflicts of loyalty must also be dealt with, potentially including accompanying work with parents in case of parental separation anxiety. Too much support from the therapist may continue or repeatt a parental pattern. New media also play a role in therapy, and the processing of narcissistic phenomena including mourning that not everything is possible, is useful.