Forthcoming by Ilene S. Lefcourt
“When an Autism Spectrum Profile is Not Autism: Discovering Relational Intentionality”
By: Molly R. Witten, Ph.D. and Ilene S. Lefcourt
Building Social Connections in Autism: Health, Happiness, and Community
Edited by: William Singletary M.D., Timothy Rice M.D., Catherine Lord Ph.D.
Relational intentionality, defined as the desire for and capacity to achieve satisfying interpersonal relatedness, is an organizing aspect of the first three years of development. It is foundational for nurturing parent-baby relationships and is an aspect of parenthood that promotes parental satisfaction. When relational intentionality is impaired, as it is in autism as well as with other developmental difficulties, parent-child interactions may not growth promoting, protective, empathic, or mutually pleasurable. Severe loneliness for both can be the result. Psychoanalytically informed early intervention may be needed.
“Relational Intentionality: Mother-Toddler Psychoanalytically Informed Treatment Process and Autism Spectrum Profiles”
By: Molly R. Witten, Ph.D. and Ilene S. Lefcourt
Paper to be published in 2026
Relational intentionality, defined as the capacity and desire for satisfying interpersonal relatedness, is an organizing aspect of development that may be atypical or not readily observable in toddlers with autism spectrum profiles. Examples from the dyadic treatments of two mother-toddler pairs, illustrate moments of emerging relational intentionality. The psychoanalytically informed therapeutic process demonstrates the achievement of mother-child intersubjective pleasure, the core experience of early development that fosters relational intentionality and maternal wellbeing. These examples demonstrate the potential role a mother can play in promoting her toddler’s capacities for relational intentionality and can inform treatment with adults.