Identification With a Brain-Damaged Parent: Theoretical Considerations on a Case of Self-Mutilation

Presents a case of a female patient in her 20's with a history of repeated hospitalization for self-mutilation. Countertransference clues prompted reexamination of the S's symptoms and suggested an identification with an aphasic, hemiparetic parent. The case focuses theoretical attention on the interaction between processes of pathological identification and neuropsychological dysfunction. A proposal is made to broaden the concept of identification to include potential variations in neurological, somatosensory, and intellectual function as they interact with changes in affect. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved)