The developmental functions of music antiheroes in adolescence: Psychoanalytic perspectives

Adolescents are faced with the task of developing an identity of their own, and during this process, they explore identification figures alternative to the parental ones. It is not uncommon for adolescents to explore identification figures that parents and society reject. This involves idealizing, imitating, and obsessing over antiheroic figures such as rap stars, rock stars, sports icons, actors, and countercultural peer groups. The primary goal of this dissertation is to improve and integrate the current understanding of the psychological function of antiheroes during adolescence through a critical analysis and integration of existing literature. The review of the literature included an examination of the antihero in the literary tradition, as well as an analysis of psychoanalytic and developmental theories of adolescence and core concepts to the understanding of the culturally dominant adolescent phenomenon of antihero attachment. The discussion explores the parallel between characteristics of antiheroes in the literary world and possible functions of music antiheroes in adolescence. The process of assessment of the functions that antiheroes serve for each particular youngster is tied to psychoanalytic and developmental constructs. Guidelines are offered on how to make a distinction between growth-promoting and growth-stagnating functions of antiheroes in the context of the multiple developmental tasks of adolescence. Implications for clinical practice with adolescents are described and a set of questions for therapists to incorporate into an assessment of antihero functions is provided. Countertransference issues are addressed as well as the impact of parental psychopathology on the developmental process. Finally, implications for training and recommendations for further research are proposed.