Evaluation into the relationship: Reflections on new trends in evaluation,assessment, and classification

From a clinical and psychoanalytically informed point of view, the process of evaluation is mainly concerned with the formation of a working alliance with the infant. Assessment is, therefore, considered as a process that cannot be applied in a systematic way, regardless of the situation. On the contrary, it is based upon transference and countertransference, which guides the clinician, along with the infant's behavior and reactions, during the consultation. From this perspective, evaluation should always have some therapeutic impact. Paradoxically, this therapeutic action is linked with the suspension of diagnostic process for a period of time. The prognosis and treatment planning is mostly based upon the evaluation of change during the expended assessment period. The more serious the situation, the longer the assessment to determine why the infant is at risk, what are the positive aspects of the situation, and what are the ways to reach the infant through the relationship with the parents. © 1997 Michigan Association for Infant Mental Health