The contribution of Hartmann's adaptational theory to psychoanalysis, with special reference to regression and symptom formation

My experience of clinical work is consistent with the conclusion that both practice and theory are improved by applying the contributions of Heinz Hartmann. His work provides an important conceptual bridge to understanding the adaptive and pathologic changes that appear in the course of human development. The specific details of those changes are just as much an issue demanding the analyst's attention as is the tracing of patterns of childhood instinctual life. In this paper, I will point to some areas of controversy where renewed attention to Hartmann's ideas might be useful, and I will attempt to illustrate the clinical utility of his theoretical contributions.