Discussion: Application of Psychoanalytic Developmental Understanding to Three Early Intervention Programs

Discussion is made of the application of psychoanalytic developmental understanding to three early intervention programs. One program that was highly ambitious in its aim of preventing aggressive behavior in children attending elementary school was effective but may have attempted to achieve too much. One, involving an assistance program in a public school for boys who had lost their fathers, was extremely successful in helping the boys to express and deal with their feelings verbally rather than through undesirable behavior. The third program provided services for very young children that developmentally were extremely useful to them. Discussion is made of the value of these programs not only to the children involved but also to the teachers and mental health care personnel who worked with them.