Psychoanalysis and school psychology

Abstract

This article explores the history of the interface between psychoanalysis and education. What started out as a cordial relationship early in the history of psychoanalysis turned sour as each field became more entrenched in its own function. Whereas school psychologists interpreted children's difficulties from a cognitive point of view, psychoanalysts interpreted from an affective point of view. More recently, some change has begun to occur. School psychologists have begun to broaden their strictly cognitive point of view, and psychoanalysts have turned their attention to education. This current rapprochement is elaborated on in this article. The dynamics of one patient is presented as an example of how the understanding of educational processes can enrich the psychoanalyst's understanding.