THE DEVELOPMENT OF ADLERIAN THOUGHT OVER THE PAST TWENTY YEARS: SOME INTERNATIONAL CONTRIBUTIONS

Abstract

A review of some recent and relevant contributions for updating the theory and practice of the Individual Psychology is provided. First the debate between tradition and change which took place during the 20th IAIP Congress is summarized, mainly considering Rainer Schmidt and Bernard Shulman point of view. The problems concerning orthodoxy, and the consonances or dissonances in nowadays development of Adler’s theories are subsequently discussed, particularly with respect to the so called Post-Adlerian and Neo-Adlerian perspectives. Adlerian psychotherapies with a humanistic, psychodynamic, or constructivist orientation are briefly outlined in a current definition, also citing the Classical Adlerian Depth Psychotherapy, the Adlerian Psychodynamic Psychotherapy and the Adlerian Psychotherapy as empirically informed treatments. The importance of the scientific research is finally stressed in order to discuss and validate a number of concepts, such as Striving for Power and Social Interest, intrapsychic and relational conflict, conscious and unconscious, cultural empathy, therapist’s emotional response, vulnerability and personality organisation