Child and psychoanalysis: the parental"position" in the child treatment

Abstract

This paper describes the Child Psychoanalysis path, since Freud's first attempt with little Hans, to treat a child analytically. First, the author discusses Anna Freud and Melanie Klein's works, whose theoretical positions are antagonistic concerning the possibility of establishing a clear analytic relationship with a child. Second, the author considers Françoise Dolto and Maud Mannoni's works with their focuses on the listening of the unconsciouness and on the parental position during the child's treatment. From these work lines the author intends to ponder if the child psychoanalyst must take parents, or if parents must appear in the analytical setting, based upon theoretical support of french Lacanian Psychoanalysis.