This disorder marks a pattern of ongoing symptoms in unstable mood swings, behaviors, self-imaging and personal functioning. Unfortunately, this results in impulsive behaviors, which make it quite difficult for individuals to establish relationships. The prevalence of this disorder is about 4% in the community and as high as 20% in the …show more content…
This means that the Super Ego knows the difference between right and wrong which developed from the moral, ethical, cultural, spiritual, etc. restraints placed on us by our caregivers. One can think or the Super Ego as our conscience. Later theorists tried to separate the self from the ego. In order to understand “the true self” one has to have the knowledge with attachment and how it plays into the role of the development of a child. Attachment theory briefly identifies that the self is hard-wired to seek relationships. Evolutionarily, the self is hard-wired to attach for the sake of affect regulation and survival.
Masterson (1993) theorizes that the development of a “false self” lies at the very core in any personality disorder, therefore seen to be in line with Margaret Mahler’s separation individuation theory. The separation in this theory refers to a person’s abilities to set boundaries, thus creating social roles that individuals are obligated to fulfill. Here, individuation refers to the development of the infant’s ego, sense of identity, and cognitive abilities.
Masterson echoes Mahler’s research that separation individuation measures the …show more content…
“Implicit procedural memory” is claimed to be prominent within attachment theory. Masterson claims that humans need a balance of implicit memories addressing the “How” to doing things versus explicit memories addressing the “What.” Masterson claims that in a healthy child, “the self is born,” and that the development of the self is protected under the love and support of the caretaker. Masterson further claims that the bond between the mother and child goes through multiple stages/phases of rupture and repair. This endless cycle between the mother and child is at the very core of attunement. This makes the child feel safe to make mistakes, which boosts the confidence in the child, therefore a child both knows and feels loved and cared for as it journeys to create its own independence. Various studies confirm that the child views their primary caretakers (usually mothers) as a “safe base” or “safe haven,” if you will. Further stressing the point that in secure attachments the child is seen to be less clingy and brave enough to venture on its