THE OBJECT-PRESERVING FUNCTION OF SADOMASOCHISM.

The terms sadism, masochism, and sadomasochism seem to have become increasingly, if loosely, associated with aggression in psychoanalytic discourse. This is due in part to the fact that Freud's changing ideas generated confusion about the relative contributions of libido and aggression. The author reviews Freud's variable usage and offers a clinical vignette to illustrate the importance of noticing how sadomasochism may maintain a tie to the object by controlling it. The author offers a developmental speculation for the role reversibility typical of sadomasochistic manifestations. He closes with a comment on the role of sadomasochistic aims in adult sexual perversion.

Analytic technique: a reconsideration of the concept.

Lipton's 1977 paper on "The Advantages of Freud's Technique …" is taken as a starting point to reconsider the concept of analytic technique itself. How an analyst works may be construed in terms of rules of the analyst's behavior, of principles underlying the analyst's behavior, or of the analyst's attitude that shapes how he or she acts on technical principles. The author argues that the analyst's attitude while acting on technical principles is an integral part of analytic praxis, and that it is a function of the analyst's character. As such, it is not generalizable as a "technique," yet it is often the case that an analyst will rationalize his or her character traits and think of them as a reproducible "technique." This has important consequences for teaching and supervising. The author suggests that the very idea of a reproducible analytic technique may inhibit the analyst's development of his or her own analytic voice. Other aspects of theorizing may also represent a conceptual confusion between what is personal and characterological and what is generalizable.

Autism spectrum disorder: an emerging opportunity for physical therapy.

PURPOSE: A growing body of evidence from research on autism spectrum disorder (ASD) confirms a substantial sensory motor component to ASD. Yet, policy and practice lag behind in recognizing the potential contributions of physical therapists in research, practice, and education related to ASD. The objective of this commentary is to inform and encourage reflection and formal dialogue among pediatric physical therapists regarding the assumption of vital roles in research, education, and clinical practice in ASD. KEY POINTS: Selected studies representative of the type of work being carried out with respect to motor aspects of ASD is presented with selected older literature for those unfamiliar with the range of information available. CONCLUSION: Findings from research provide ample substantiation for physical therapists to join interdisciplinary efforts as researchers, scholars, educators, policy analysts, and advocates in ASD. Physical therapists have the potential and ability to play a much greater role in ASD.

Challenges in evaluating psychosocial interventions for Autistic Spectrum Disorders.

In 2002, the National Institutes of Health sponsored a meeting concerning methodological challenges of research in psychosocial interventions in Autism Spectrum Disorders. This paper provides a summary of the presentations and the discussions that occurred during this meeting. Recommendations to federal and private agencies included the need for randomized clinical trials of comprehensive interventions for autism as the highest, but not the sole priority. Ongoing working groups were proposed to address psychosocial interventions with a focus on relevant statistics, standardized documentation and methods of diagnosis, development of outcome measures, establishment of standards in research; and the need for innovative treatment designs, including application of designs from other research areas to the study of interventions in ASD.