From One Theory To Multiple Orientations

The new self psychology is a contemporary psychoanalytic school with multiple orientations that develops after Heinz Kohut. Taking the method of literature studying and theory analyzing, the dissertation combs and studies the achievement of new self psychology systematically and globally. On the basis of generalization of the main branch of new self psychology, the dissertation elaborates its basic theory and clinical theory, overviews its clinical contents and forms, introduces its interdisciplinary research findings, summarizes its theory characteristics, and makes some comments, prospects the development tendency of its future.The new self psychology is an important constituent part of contemporary psychoanalysis, with the main theory characteristics of pluralism, relationship and post-modernity. It makes new exploration in psychoanalytical methods, new formulation for self and self experiences, new reflection on countertransference and interpretation, expands theory of selfobject transference, and proposes the idea of optimal responsiveness. Meanwhile it enriches content and forms of psychotherapy. The new self psychology then expands the range of self psychology theory and practice, enriches the clinical theory of psychoanalysis. Putting forward the theory of motivational systems, the new self psychology deepens the understanding of human motivation of psychoanalysis. It also enhances cognitions of early development of human individuals, with empirical infant research. However, there are few limits in the new self psychology, including the absence of a systematic and unitary theory, a framework with general explanation power, and there is a danger for it to split with the long tendency of pluralistic development. So it faces difficult test in the future of new self psychology.