Absent fathers and their impact on role confusion among adolescent males

Simple item page
dc.contributor.advisorSmith, Patrick J Den_ZA
dc.contributor.authorEastwood, Joan Elizabethen_ZA
dc.date.accessioned2016-03-28T14:30:36Z
dc.date.available2016-03-28T14:30:36Z
dc.date.issued1994en_ZA
dc.description.abstractThis study is an exploration of theoretical propositions and their integration with a clinical illustration in order to facilitate an understanding of the universal role of the good-enough father in the psychic development of the child. The premise underlying this study rests on the theoretical object relations framework of Margaret Mahler (197 4), extended by Abelin (1971, 1975), and taken into the phase of adolescence by Blas (1967,1985,1991), which provides a solid, clinical basis for understanding the dynamics of the separation-individuation process. This theoretical basis is expanded by an understanding of analytical psychology, providing the Jungian perspective on individuation, which is encapsulated in the archetypal themes of union, separation, and the capacity to sustain the tension of opposites. As a synthesis of these conceptual frameworks, the writer adopts the propositions put forward by Seligman (1986) that the absent father causes the child to remain enmeshed with the mother. Without a father's emotional support, it becomes almost insurmountably difficult for a child to negotiate the unavoidable separation from the mother, a prerequisite for the confirmation of his identity and the establishment of an autonomous lifestyle. As a treatment modality, Seligman (1986) further proposes that the analyst be "used" by the client's unconscious psyche to build up a live paternal presence within, a symbolic reinstatement of the father image, necessary for the crucial completion of the separation-individuation process. With the re-emergence of the father image, thus enabling a reconciliation of the inner parents, the mother can gradually be relinquished. Those aspects of the client's personality which had been committed to a real or imaginary "oneness" with the mother, and were thus unavailable for the enrichment of his own life, are restored to him, making him more "alive". The illustrative case study demonstrates this therapeutic approach with an adolescent boy who experienced father absence and presented in clinical social work practice with the symptomology of role confusion I individuation avoidance.en_ZA
dc.identifier.apacitationEastwood, J. E. (1994). <i>Absent fathers and their impact on role confusion among adolescent males</i>. (Thesis). University of Cape Town ,Faculty of Humanities ,Department of Social Development. Retrieved from http://hdl.handle.net/11427/18274en_ZA
dc.identifier.chicagocitationEastwood, Joan Elizabeth. <i>"Absent fathers and their impact on role confusion among adolescent males."</i> Thesis., University of Cape Town ,Faculty of Humanities ,Department of Social Development, 1994. http://hdl.handle.net/11427/18274en_ZA
dc.identifier.citationEastwood, J. 1994. Absent fathers and their impact on role confusion among adolescent males. University of Cape Town.en_ZA
dc.identifier.ris TY - Thesis / Dissertation AU - Eastwood, Joan Elizabeth AB - This study is an exploration of theoretical propositions and their integration with a clinical illustration in order to facilitate an understanding of the universal role of the good-enough father in the psychic development of the child. The premise underlying this study rests on the theoretical object relations framework of Margaret Mahler (197 4), extended by Abelin (1971, 1975), and taken into the phase of adolescence by Blas (1967,1985,1991), which provides a solid, clinical basis for understanding the dynamics of the separation-individuation process. This theoretical basis is expanded by an understanding of analytical psychology, providing the Jungian perspective on individuation, which is encapsulated in the archetypal themes of union, separation, and the capacity to sustain the tension of opposites. As a synthesis of these conceptual frameworks, the writer adopts the propositions put forward by Seligman (1986) that the absent father causes the child to remain enmeshed with the mother. Without a father's emotional support, it becomes almost insurmountably difficult for a child to negotiate the unavoidable separation from the mother, a prerequisite for the confirmation of his identity and the establishment of an autonomous lifestyle. As a treatment modality, Seligman (1986) further proposes that the analyst be "used" by the client's unconscious psyche to build up a live paternal presence within, a symbolic reinstatement of the father image, necessary for the crucial completion of the separation-individuation process. With the re-emergence of the father image, thus enabling a reconciliation of the inner parents, the mother can gradually be relinquished. Those aspects of the client's personality which had been committed to a real or imaginary "oneness" with the mother, and were thus unavailable for the enrichment of his own life, are restored to him, making him more "alive". The illustrative case study demonstrates this therapeutic approach with an adolescent boy who experienced father absence and presented in clinical social work practice with the symptomology of role confusion I individuation avoidance. DA - 1994 DB - OpenUCT DP - University of Cape Town LK - https://open.uct.ac.za PB - University of Cape Town PY - 1994 T1 - Absent fathers and their impact on role confusion among adolescent males TI - Absent fathers and their impact on role confusion among adolescent males UR - http://hdl.handle.net/11427/18274 ER - en_ZA
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/11427/18274
dc.identifier.vancouvercitationEastwood JE. Absent fathers and their impact on role confusion among adolescent males. [Thesis]. University of Cape Town ,Faculty of Humanities ,Department of Social Development, 1994 [cited yyyy month dd]. Available from: http://hdl.handle.net/11427/18274en_ZA
dc.language.isoengen_ZA
dc.publisher.departmentDepartment of Social Developmenten_ZA
dc.publisher.facultyFaculty of Humanitiesen_ZA
dc.publisher.institutionUniversity of Cape Town
dc.subject.otherClinical Social Worken_ZA
dc.subject.otherAbsent fathersen_ZA
dc.titleAbsent fathers and their impact on role confusion among adolescent malesen_ZA
dc.typeMaster Thesis
dc.type.qualificationlevelMasters
dc.type.qualificationnameMSocScen_ZA
uct.type.filetypeText
uct.type.filetypeImage
uct.type.publicationResearchen_ZA
uct.type.resourceThesisen_ZA
Files
Original bundle
Now showing 1 - 1 of 1
Thumbnail Image
Name:
thesis_hum_1994_eastwood_joan_elizabeth.pdf
Size:
2.44 MB
Format:
Adobe Portable Document Format
Description:
Download
Collections
Masters