Personality in Intimate Relationships - Socialization and Psychopathology (Hardcover, 2005 ed.)

Four decades of contributions to personality theory and family practice have earned Luciano La (TM)Abate a worldwide reputation for therapeutic insights. Now he expands on his pathbreaking relational theory of personality to apply it to the twenty-first-century family in all its configurations. Personality in Intimate Relationships showcases La (TM)Abatea (TM)s trademark elegant style and provocative ideas in his most accessible work to date.
Based on Axes I and II of the DSM-IV, the book describes relationships along a readily identifiable continuum ranging from optimal functionality to severe pathology, linking the authora (TM)s conceptual framework to specific diagnostic strategies, therapeutic interventions, and prevention programs. La (TM)Abatea (TM)s theory not only integrates individual and family theories and seemingly disparate schools of thought, but is also inclusive of nontraditional relationshipsa "grandparent/grandchild dyads, adoptive families, same-sex couples, and othersa "that are often left out of the family literature.
Among the key areas explored in the book:
a [ Selfhood and self-differentiation
a [ Confrontation and sharing of hurt feelings
a [ Negotiating, bargaining, and problem-solving
a [ Dealing with distance and closeness
a [ Intimacy and the ability to love

In addition, the reader is referred to complementary online appendices that supply helpful questionnaires, workbooks, and ideas for further applications.
Personality in Intimate Relationships offers fresh perspective to all frontline practitioners as well as investigators in this area. It is also ideal for graduate courses in abnormal psychology and personaldevelopment.