The Emerging Self: A Developmental Self & Object Relations Approach to the Treatment of the Closet Narcissistic Disorder of the Self [Hardcover]

James F. Masterson (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0876307217 | ISBN-13: 978-0876307212 | Publication Date: September 1, 1993 | Edition: 1

This volume aims to shed light on one of the most difficult disorders to diagnose and treat: the closet narcissistic disorder of the self. The third of a series on the disorders of the self, the book fills a niche in the field of personality disorders. It describes not only the psychopathology and treatment of this disorder but, more importantly, demonstrates the key dynamics of the disorders of the self triad: self activation leads to anxiety and depression, which leads to defense. This is the central dynamic of all the disorders of the self, and its particular manifestations in the closet narcissistic personality disorder are described along with the therapeutic techniques required to identify and manage it. The volume also clarifies a great deal of the clinical confusion surrounding the disorder, and addresses such questions as: what does the clinical picture look like? What is the reason for the diagnostic confusion? How does one resolve it? What other disorders does this disorder mimic? How do you differentiate it from the borderline and/or schizoid disorders of the self? What are some possible etiologic factors? What precipitates a clinical syndrome? And what is the intrapsychic structure of this disorder? The book offers a clear and down-to-earth presentation on the subject, and aims to be of interest to all therapists, students, teachers and practitioners, enabling them to identify what emotional issues are on centre stage, understand how to deal with them, and also how to evaluate the results of his or her efforts. Beyond that, it illustrates the variations in countertransference that occur as a result of projective identification.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 340 pages
• Publisher: Routledge; 1 edition (September 1, 1993)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0876307217
• ISBN-13: 978-0876307212
• Product Dimensions: 9.4 x 5.7 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #636,826 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Outing the Narcissist, August 11, 2001

By 

Sam Vaknin (Skopje, Macedonia) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Emerging Self: A Developmental Self & Object Relations Approach to the Treatment of the Closet Narcissistic Disorder of the Self (Hardcover)

Masterson is one of the few theoreticians [come] practitioners to offer a coherent and self-sufficient theory of personality disorders, including the narcissistic one. This book encourages diagnosticians to diagnose pathological narcissism, even when the presenting signs are misleading. Masterson believes in the unacanny ability of pernicious narcissism to disguise itself and manifest in numerous, uncharted, ways. His is a road map backed by impressive amounts of research and practice. The only drawback is that it presents only the views of the psychodynamic [come]object relations school of psychology and largely ignores advances in other fields. Sam Vaknin, author of "Malignant Self Love - Narcissism Revisited".

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars What am I doing here? !, May 26, 2008

By 

You know me Al (Red Sox Nation) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The Emerging Self: A Developmental Self & Object Relations Approach to the Treatment of the Closet Narcissistic Disorder of the Self (Hardcover)

I'm not surprised that it's Sam who is the only other reviewer (so far?). As a former computer programmer, I love the flowcharts explaining who's on first, what's on etc., of each of the main brain patterns.

The first 3-4 chapters and the last few give detailed explanations of what we're doing in therapy and how, slicing it thinner than Emeril.

The taped supervisory sessions could make you puke, if, like me, you're a patient who's been struggling with her therapists' countertransference for far too long.

Need to be fluent in self-object jargon (which, after a year of self-study, I am). Also, unclear to me, on first reading of patient sessions, tone or intent of JM's comments (not 'interpretations'), but that's likely(!) my defense...