Levels of emotional awareness: a cognitive-developmental theory and its application to psychopathology [published erratum appears in Am J Psychiatry 1987 Apr;144(4):542]
Abstract
The authors present a cognitive-developmental theory of emotional awareness that creates a bridge between normal and abnormal emotional states. Their primary thesis is that emotional awareness is a type of cognitive processing which undergoes five levels of structural transformation along a cognitive-developmental sequence derived from an integration of the theories of Piaget and Werner. The five levels of structural transformation are awareness of bodily sensations, the body in action, individual feelings, blends of feelings, and blends of blends of feelings. The authors suggest applications of this model to current unresolved problems in psychiatric theory, research, and practice.
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References 42 · Cited by 813
- Authors
- Lane, R. D., & SCHWARTZ, G. E. R.
- Venue
- American Journal of Psychiatry
- Published
- 1987-02
- Volume
- 144
- Issue
- 2
- Pages
- 133-143
- ISSN
- 0002-953X (ISSN-L)
- 1535-7228
- OpenAlex
- W2198409399
- Cited by
- 813
- References
- 42
- Citations by year
- 2026: 29 · 2025: 21 · 2024: 24 · 2023: 25 · 2022: 24 · 2021: 37 · 2020: 40 · 2019: 50 · 2018: 38 · 2017: 28 · 2016: 26 · 2015: 28 · 2014: 28 · 2013: 34 · 2012: 37
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- American Journal of Psychiatry (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Funders
- National Institute of Mental Health (MH-14235)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Child and Adolescent Psychosocial and Emotional Development
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Psychoanalysis and Psychopathology Research
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Psychiatry and Mental health › Psychosomatic Disorders and Their Treatments
- Keywords
- emotional awareness, cognitive development theory, psychopathology, Piaget, Werner, structural change, bodily sensations, feelings
- MeSH terms
- Affective Symptoms, Arousal, Awareness, Mental Disorders, Child, Child Development, Cognition, Emotions, Humans, Models, Psychological, Psychological Theory, Schizophrenia, Schizophrenic Psychology, Self Concept, Sensation, Social Perception
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