Psychodynamics for child & adolescent

[member2721]

Hi,

I realize how little psychodynamic education I go as a medical student, and how long ago it has been since college introductory psych classes, so I've been wanting to learn more about psychodynamic therapy.

I am especially interested in the major schools of thought in psychodynamics as related to child and adolescent development, and what types of psychodynamic therapy are currently being practiced by child psychiatrists.

Some names encountered from my brief readings include Erik Erikson, Melanie Klein, Mary Ainsworth, John Bowlby, Vygotsky... I find many of their ideas (object relations, Eriksonian stages, attachment theory, zone of proximal development) quite insightful , but I am wondering how clinically relevant their theories are to today's practice.

Do any of you recommend focusing on any of their particular theories, any other people, or good introductory books, as relevant to contemporary developmental psychodynamics?

Also, I am wondering if any of you know what residency programs are known to be quite strong in this type of training.

Thanks!

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[splik]

I like A Secure Base (Bowlby) The Child, The Family and World Outside (Winnicott) which is a bit dated now but it's an easy read by one of the leading child psychoanalysts of the day and Childhood and Society (Erikson). These are oldies but goodies. A lot of object-relations stuff is actually quite difficult to read and I would start with the basics before delving into the more recent dynamic theory. Alot of developmental psychopathology integrates what is known about social cognition, brain development, and attachment theory and psychopathology through the life course.