Margaret Mahler SEPARATION-INDIVIDUATION THEORY OF CHILD DEVELOPMENT  Nicole Beaubrun & Edeh, Chinonye Mahler’s Biography Margaret Mahler was born in Hungary on May 10, 1897 and died in 1985. She became interested in psychoanalysis as a teen after meeting Sandor Ferenczi. She studied pediatrics at the university of Jena and graduated in 1922 She started psychoanalysis training in 1926 and certified as an analyst in 1933. She was interested in understanding child development and taught child therapy Her interest in child developmental Psychiatry was a result of being rejected by her mother who was unprepared for pregnancy at the age of 19. Mahler was deeply attached to her father who was a physician and her care giver She shunned her younger sister Susan, because she was idolized by their mother. Mahler was unable to overcome her childhood trauma (indifferent and apathetic) from her mother consequently act out throughout her life. She was difficult and exasperating as a young girl; she had poor interpersonal boundaries and was prone to outbursts of rage (Mahler & Bergman & Pine, 1975). Mahler’s Professional Life She was co-founded the Masters Children center in New York with her colleague Manuel Furer. There she conducted her research on childhood development. She created and taught the “ Tripartite Treatment Model” (the mother participated in the child treatment) at the NY center. Mahler was heavily involved in research in the area of pediatric mental health. She believed that the biological birth of the human infant and the psychological birth are not simultaneous. The psychological birth is a“…slow unfolding intrapsychic process” (Mahler, 1975) that she referred to as “separation –individualization process.” (Mahler, 1975 Her most important work was her “ Theory of Separation and Individualization” published in the book called, The Psychological Birth of the Human Infant: Symbiosis and Individuation.”. Theory of Separation and Individuation I. Autistic phase occurs from birth to 1 month, the child is focused on himself/herself, sleep period predominates over arousal period. The child is unaware of his or her surrounding. Mother is an important entity and child does not perceive existence of separation. II. The normal symbiotic phase lasts from 1 months to 5 months, child gains awareness of caregivers but has no sense of individuality, mother and child is seen as a fused entity. III. The separation-individuation stage takes place at about 5 months to 24 months, Differentiation: comes about 5 months to 10 months, in this stage, the child begins to develop a sense of self and able to separate self from the mother. Practicing occurs from ages (10 months to 16 months), the child acquires motor skills that enable the child to explore the world independently from mother. Rapprochement marks a “backing off” from separation, (16 months to 24 months) the child’s desire to separate from .

1. Margaret Mahler
SEPARATION-INDIVIDUATION THEORY OF CHILD
DEVELOPMENT
Nicole Beaubrun & Edeh, Chinonye
Mahler’s Biography
Margaret Mahler was born in Hungary on May 10, 1897 and
died in 1985.
She became interested in psychoanalysis as a teen after meeting
Sandor Ferenczi. She studied pediatrics at the university of
Jena and graduated in 1922
She started psychoanalysis training in 1926 and certified as an
analyst in 1933.
She was interested in understanding child development and
taught child therapy
Her interest in child developmental Psychiatry was a result of
being rejected by her mother who was unprepared for
pregnancy at the age of 19.
Mahler was deeply attached to her father who was a physician
and her care giver She shunned her younger sister Susan,
because she was idolized by their mother.
Mahler was unable to overcome her childhood trauma
(indifferent and apathetic) from her mother consequently act out
throughout her life.
She was difficult and exasperating as a young girl; she had
poor interpersonal boundaries and was prone to outbursts of
rage (Mahler & Bergman & Pine, 1975).

2. Mahler’s Professional Life
She was co-founded the Masters Children center in New York
with her colleague Manuel Furer. There she conducted her
research on childhood development.
She created and taught the “ Tripartite Treatment Model” (the
mother participated in the child treatment) at the NY center.
Mahler was heavily involved in research in the area of pediatric
mental health.
She believed that the biological birth of the human infant and
the psychological birth are not simultaneous. The psychological
birth is a“…slow unfolding intrapsychic process” (Mahler,
1975) that she referred to as “separation –individualization
process.” (Mahler, 1975
Her most important work was her “ Theory of Separation and
Individualization” published in the book called, The
Psychological Birth of the Human Infant: Symbiosis and
Individuation.”.

3. Theory of Separation and Individuation
I. Autistic phase occurs from birth to 1 month, the child is
focused on himself/herself, sleep period predominates over
arousal period. The child is unaware of his or her surrounding.
Mother is an important entity and child does not perceive
existence of separation.
II. The normal symbiotic phase lasts from 1 months to 5
months, child gains awareness of caregivers but has no sense of
individuality, mother and child is seen as a fused entity.
III. The separation-individuation stage takes place at about 5
months to 24 months,
Differentiation: comes about 5 months to 10 months, in this
stage, the child begins to develop a sense of self and able to
separate self from the mother.
Practicing occurs from ages (10 months to 16 months), the
child acquires motor skills that enable the child to explore the
world independently from mother.
Rapprochement marks a “backing off” from separation, (16
months to 24 months) the child’s desire to separate from the
mother is hindered by fear of abandonment. Child tries to return
to the mother for reassurance and closeness. This can lead to
separation anxiety. Pathology is thought to unfold from
problems in this phase.3 sub stages.
Beginning (returns to share experiences with caregiver),
Crisis (difficulty with choosing between emotional proximity
to caregiver or independence), and
Solution
( Reaches a healthy balance, if the crisis is not resolved well,
there will be an extreme clinging or shunning (Learning
Theories.com, 2019).

4. IV. Object Constancy (2 years to 5 years) children gradually
comprehend and are reassured by the permanence of mother or
other caregivers even when they disappear or are not present.
References
Good Therapy, (2015) Retrieved from
https://www.goodtherapy.org/famous-psychologists/margaret-
mahler.html
Learning Theories.com, (2019). Separation-Individuation
Theory of Child Development (Mahler). Retrieved from
https://www.learning-theories.com/separation-individuation-
theory-of-child-development-mahler.html
Mahler, M. S., Bergman, A., & Pine, F. (1975). The
psychological birth of the human infant: Symbiosis and
individuation. London: Hutchinson.