Ego and milieu : Theory and practice of environmental therapy / John Cumming, Elaine Cumming.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Cumming, John, author.

Cumming, Elaine, author.

Series:

Atherton Press behavioral science series.

Atherton Press behavioral science series

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Ego (Psychology).

Physical Description:

1 online resource (xv, 292 pages).

Other Title:

Ego and milieu

Place of Publication:

New York : Atherton Press, 1963.

Summary:

"This book is both theoretical and practical. On the theoretical side, we attempt to synthesize some familiar psychological and sociological concepts into a new theory of how the ego functions--or fails to function--in its environment. Our theory concerns itself with ego growth and development insofar as it is necessary to the understanding of ego damage and ego restitution. On the practical side, we suggest how relatively unskilled people can be trained to create a therapeutic milieu for patients with serious illnesses: psychoses, senile confusion, brain damage, and severe neuroses. These practical skills, in turn, are embedded in and arise out of sociological theories of the environment. In viewing the accumulated development of milieu/environmental therapy theory and practice there has been one notable lack. There has been a reluctance to consider the possibility that the milieu might itself bring about specific changes in the behavior of patients and thus specific changes in their personalities. We shall attempt to tie together the many themes and concepts in this discipline and develop a theory that will enable us to practice a milieu therapy which is a scientific manipulation of the environment aimed at producing changes in the personality of the patient. In Part I of this book we shall set forth a theory of ego function. In Part II we shall discuss illustrations of the use of the theory in the treatment of the mentally ill. In Part III we shall try to give an idea of the dynamics of the interaction of ego and milieu and discuss the future applications of the theory, especially in community-based programs. We shall conclude with some theoretical, ethical, and pragmatic problems that are raised by the theory and that need solution. Parts II and III of this book are related to Part I conceptually, but the reader whose interest lies primarily in the applications of the theory can read Parts II and III independently"-- Introduction. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2014 APA, all rights reserved).

Notes:

Description based on publisher supplied metadata and other sources.

Includes bibliographical references and index.