MAHLER,MARGARET THEORY REVISITED

Mahler's theory of development has been criticised by infant researche rs in recent years. The discovery of differentiated perceptive and int eractive abilities of infants seemed to undermine Mahler's theory of s ymbiotic origin of human existence. The author undertakes a (partial) rehabilitation of the symbiosis concept in accordance with Pine. Symbi otic >>moments<< are seen as (probably) universal; their importance in terms of further development depends primarily on the way the parents deal with such moments. The second part of the article examines the r approchment crisis hitherto neglected by the infant research. Contrary to Mahler, who focusses above all on intrapsychic sources of ambivale nce of the 18 months old child, the author underlines its interpersona l origins. Taking into consideration the results of attachment researc h it becomes apparent that only a minority and by no means all childre n show characteristics of the rapprochment crisis, regarded by Mahler as universal. The author examines conditions under which they occur.