| Abstract: | The temperamental trait of inhibition offers a setting to examine the characteristics of the interplay between intraindividual factors and contextual influences. This article drew from both the developmental psychoanalytic model on mutual regulation of affect and developmental research on temperament to portray the mechanisms and consequences of the dynamic processes of change, in which both the individual and the environment are constantly changing. The portrait presents a unique case of a very inhibited girl at age 3, who gradually shifts from a frozen, fearful stance into a spontaneous, active behavior. The examination uses the paradigm of coconstruction of play narratives, a paradigm that combines both projective techniques and developmental research perspectives. The function of the adults as stress buffers is explored. Possible implications for psychoanalysis, treatment processes and developmental psychopathology are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved) |
