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(1974). International Journal of Psycho-Analysis, 55:63-66

A Discussion of the Paper by Joseph Sandler on 'Psychological Conflict and the Structural Model: Some Clinical and Theoretical Implications'

Samuel Abrams

Dr Sandler (this issue) reminds us of the following fact: in the course of all psychoanalyses, a wide variety of unconscious— descriptively unconscious—urgent feelings and ideas become accessible. Some of these imperatives obviously derive their valence from instinctual drives, implemented, for example, through the infantile sexual function. But other imperatives seem more remote from the drives; imperative defences, or affects or infantile adaptive modes.

From these empirical observations, Dr Sandler goes on to suggest additions to our conceptual framework. He notes that the structural theory tends to emphasize intersystemic conflicts, especially the ego-id one, so much so that intra -systemic conflicts are likely to be by-passed. And he reminds us that intrasystemic conflicts consume a considerable portion of our work. Hence he recommends that we consider this conceptual addition: a regrouping of the function of the total mental apparatus according to 'u

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