JJoaquín Díaz Atienza
Introduction
I will briefly describe the key points of the latency and adolescence stageWhile psychoanalysis has written surprisingly little about the latency stage, there are numerous works on adolescence, although puberty, which in my humble opinion is a time of maximum tension and psychological bewilderment, is barely explored. I believe that many of the problems that arise in adolescence can be related to how the conflicts inherent in puberty are resolved, a sub-stage in which the individual is most lacking in resources to cope with the anxiety that arises from the emergence of the primitive Oedipal complex.
latency stage
I would say, according to some parents, that in most cases it's a quiet age. The latency stage is said to last from seven to twelve years old. According to psychoanalysis, it is characterized by the following:
- Although it is claimed to be a conflict-free stage of affective development, the truth is that this is not entirely true, since what actually occurs is a change in the structures of sexual drives, and this structural change is what minimizes the anxiety of conflicts that may appear at this stage.
- This structural change consists of a gradual de-sexualization through the sublimation of sexuality into activities and goals that promote socialization. Examples include a greater investment in learning, school, and friends.
- Some authors describe a certain obsessive focus on the personality that allows for greater submission to the demands made by parental figures. Ultimately, it is at this stage that submission to rules is forged (studied by J. Piaget in his research on moral development in childhood, which highlights the role of adult influence, the effect of cooperation among peers, and intellectual development), thus facilitating the establishment of discipline. This stage of tenderness, admiration, and idealization of parental figures significantly facilitates their upbringing. In short, it is a stage without much resistance, which facilitates the instilling of parental and school values that the child will inevitably encounter in adolescence.
- It is precisely the displacement of the primitive Oedipal problem towards extra-familial environments and objects that favors socialization and the appearance of parental substitutes.
Adolescence
It is a perplexing stage for the adult. It presents as a sudden crisis after the latency period and coinciding with the bodily changes of puberty. The most salient characteristics are:
- The sudden and distressing emergence of profound confusion regarding the authenticity and integrity of one's own body, identification with one's own self, and sexuality. It is the stage of dissociation, of depressive and euphoric moments in a constant struggle with oneself to find a consistent and lasting identity.
- The abrupt bodily changes that occur with puberty are accompanied by a massive surge of urges, with the new way in which others perceive him/her, the new looks and demands, the sexualization of relationships with peers, an unforeseen and distressing novelty that must be managed.
- The problems associated with the Oedipus complex are often displaced onto idealized substitutes for parental figures (for example, teachers). This is the time when conflicts related to pregenitality are reactivated, giving rise to primitive defense mechanisms that can cause significant psychological problems, shaping the future personality. It is also the period of greatest risk for sexual abuse due to the idealization of non-familial individuals.
- Masturbation appears, which is usually experienced with guilt and anguish.
- It is at this stage that the choice, more or less definitive, of the sexual object is resolved, although not without first going through questions about it.
In the next post: Oedipus complex
