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(1954). Psychoanalytic Quarterly, 23:529-543

Ego and Superego in Obsessional Character and Neurosis

Philip Weissman, M.D.

In 1913 Freud stated that '… premature advance of the ego development ahead of the libido development contributes to obsessional disposition. Precocious development of this kind on the part of the ego instincts would necessitate the formation of object choice before the sexual function has reached its final configuration and would thus leave a legacy of fixation at the pregenital stage of sexual organization' (4).

The formulation with reference to the state of libidinal development remains unaltered: in the genesis of obsessional neurosis the primacy of the genital zone has not been established and the component impulses which govern the sexual life are the anal-erotic and anal-sadistic.

The stage of ego development is the other most crucial factor in the predisposition to obsessional neurosis. Freud's observation, 'premature advance of ego development', is subject to scrutiny in terms of our present knowledge of ego psychology. His knowledge of ego instincts and eg

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