Kazimierz Dabrowski's five-level theory of personality development, the Theory of Positive Disintegration, is one in which the experience of all emotions is essential for the process of individual growth toward the personality ideal. In this article, we synthesize Dabrowski's conception of syntony and the development of empathy. We discuss the…

Some terms of Dabrowski's theory are misleading. The construct of level and the concepts of integration and disintegration mean different things. The concept of primary integration as a starting point for personality development is untenable in light of research on child development. In its place, Level I as a type of development that is…

The use of self-psychology, a theory first developed by Heinz Kohut, is discussed and illustrated with case examples from child welfare practice. The cases demonstrate that self-psychology can enhance an ecological model. The ways in which self-psychology can enrich the social worker's therapeutic role in permanency planning are emphasized.…

The development of empathy, sympathy, and consideration for others ranks as an important ingredient of social education in schools. To get across to children with deficient empathy and sympathy, knowledge about their psychological mechanisms is necessary. A project on "Psychological Mechanisms in Children with Deficient Empathy and…

This paper discusses an expanded definition of the concept of emotional giftedness in children as defined by Annemarie Roeper. In contrast to examples of academic and artistic prodigies, cases are reviewed that illustrate less tangibly measured examples of children's giftedness, such as expressions of compassion, moral sensitivity, positive…

Traditional personality theories do not consider the impact of culture on personality development. Yet, to provide culturally relevant services to the increasing Hispanic population in the U.S., more culturally relevant theories must be identified. This paper presents Relational Cultural Theory (RCT) as an alternative model to understanding…