Effects of Stimulating Psychodynamically Relevant Unconscious Fantasies on Schizophrenic Psychopathology

Abstract

This article reviews a series of studies investigating the relationship between various unconscious fantasies and manifest pathology in adult schizophrenics. The results support the view that the activation of specific fantasies can lead to both the exacerbation and amelioration of symptoms in schizophrenia. The theoretical and clinical implications of the experimental findings are discussed, and suggestions for further research are offered.