Through the lens of psychoanalytic infant observation, the authors introduce some characteristics of Chinese urban families, most of which have grandparents to participate in the caretaking of infants. In some cases, infants may be separated from parents. These phenomena are understood in terms of cultural, political, social, economic and psychological dimensions. The observational frame is compared to the clinical frame and the patient's handling of the frame throws light to his/her internal world. In some cases, this internal world may be populated by absent objects. Related mental health difficulties are illustrated by two clinical vignettes of adult patients who experienced long-term parental absence in childhood.
Keywords: absent object; clinical frame; cultural differences; parental separation; psychoanalytic infant observation.
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