The Significance of Autonomy and Autonomy Support in Psychological Development and Psychopathology

This chapter, in keeping with the spirit of the field of developmental psychopathology, examines both the developmental underpinnings of healthy autonomy and the processes involved in its disruption and manifestation as pathology. It critically examines the interface between normal and impaired development. The chapter sets forth a definition of autonomy that is informed by both philosophical and clinical analyses and that differentiates autonomy from closely related constructs such as free will, independence, individualism, and detachment. Then, it explores how autonomy is intertwined with the developmental processes of intrinsic motivation, internalization, attachment, and emotional integration, paying particular attention to how conditions in the social context either support the motivational and emotional bases of normal development or, undermine these bases, leading to psychopathology. Finally, the chapter discusses the experience and dynamics of autonomy with regard to varied psychological disorder.