Where do all these selfobjects come from? Addressing a lacuna in the theory

The present work addresses a gap in self psychology. In order for the self to develop, it requires the provision of selfobject experiences. And this implies that there must be other people to help furnish such experiences. Our theory, though, is rather quiet on how the capacity to offer selfobject experiences develops. The present work begins by considering the properties of the mature self, which include the ability to offer selfobject experiences to others. Next, I suggest that these capacities come into being through the same developmental pathways that help form other features of the self, such as affect regulation. Implications for clinical work are considered.