Otto Kernberg

Otto Friedmann Kernberg (born September 10, 1928) is an Austrian-American psychiatrist and psychoanalyst known for his work on borderline personality organization and object relations theory. He is a professor of psychiatry at Weill Cornell Medical College and the director of the Personality Disorders Institute at the NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital.

Early Life and Education

Kernberg was born in Vienna, Austria, and emigrated to Chile in 1939 to escape the Nazi regime. He studied medicine at the University of Chile, where he received his medical degree in 1955. He completed his psychiatric residency at the University of Chile and later moved to the United States in 1959.

Career

In the United States, Kernberg trained in psychoanalysis at the Columbia University Center for Psychoanalytic Training and Research. He became a prominent figure in the field of psychiatry and psychoanalysis, particularly known for his theories on personality disorders.

Kernberg's work has focused on the diagnosis and treatment of borderline personality disorder (BPD) and narcissistic personality disorder (NPD). He developed a comprehensive model of borderline personality organization, which includes a spectrum of personality disorders characterized by identity diffusion, primitive defense mechanisms, and impaired reality testing.

Contributions to Psychoanalysis

Kernberg is renowned for integrating object relations theory with ego psychology and Kleinian theory. His approach emphasizes the importance of early relationships in the development of personality and psychopathology. He has written extensively on the treatment of severe personality disorders and has developed Transference-Focused Psychotherapy (TFP), a manualized treatment for BPD.

Publications

Kernberg has authored numerous books and articles on psychoanalysis, personality disorders, and psychotherapy. Some of his notable works include:

• Borderline Conditions and Pathological Narcissism
• Severe Personality Disorders: Psychotherapeutic Strategies
• Aggression in Personality Disorders and Perversions

Awards and Honors

Kernberg has received numerous awards for his contributions to psychiatry and psychoanalysis, including the Sigourney Award and the American Psychiatric Association's Adolf Meyer Award.

See Also

• Borderline Personality Disorder
• Narcissistic Personality Disorder
• Object Relations Theory
• Transference-Focused Psychotherapy

External Links

• [Weill Cornell Medical College Profile](https://weill.cornell.edu/)
• [NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital](https://www.nyp.org/)