Diagnostic Value of Early Recollections: Match, Rematch, and an Imperfect Perfect Match

Abstract: In Individual Psychological theory and practice, early recollections (ERs) are one of two major windows into a person’s lifestyle and one of the most powerful ways to adaptively improve it. Early recollections have long been recognized as a staple of Adlerian psychotherapy, and early Individual Psychologists, including Adler himself, saw ERs as a good match for diagnostic work and used ER-generated clinical insights in cases such as Adler’s of Miss R. Later, Ackernecht, Brodsky, Papanek, and others continued to emphasize the diagnostic usefulness of ERs. After the 1970s, diagnostic and treatment planning use of ERs has been increasingly limited to cases of general wellness or to illustrative or teaching purposes with general and mild neuroses. As a result, many Adlerian practitioners, especially in countries where diagnoses based on the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders are common practice, do not use ERs. This article attempts to rematch ERs and DSM -informed diagnostic work. It outlines ER themes and patterns in depression, anxiety, psychotic conditions, and suicidality. This might inform the use of ERs in differential diagnosis, treatment planning, and tracking treatment progress.