This volume investigates the evolution and clinical application of self psychology over its first ten years of development. Arnold I. Goldberg, a prominent figure in the field, compiles a series of scholarly contributions that evaluate the theoretical shifts and practical refinements within the Kohutian framework. The text serves as a retrospective analysis, examining how the core tenets of self psychology have been integrated into broader psychoanalytic practice and identifying the primary challenges faced by practitioners during this formative decade.

Experts recognize this volume as a foundational reference for understanding the maturation of self psychology as a distinct clinical discipline. Readers frequently note the academic density of the prose, which is intended primarily for psychoanalysts and advanced students of clinical theory.