Editing Inner child

{{short description|In psychology, a person's childlike aspect}}
{{for multi|the episode of ''Fringe''|Inner Child (Fringe)|the album by Shanice|Inner Child (album)}}
{{more citations needed|date=September 2014}}
In some schools of [[popular psychology]] and [[analytical psychology]], the '''inner child''' is an individual's childlike aspect. It includes what a person learned as a child before [[puberty]]. The inner child is often conceived as a semi-independent [[subpersonality]] subordinate to the waking conscious mind. The term has therapeutic applications in counseling and health settings. 

The theoretical roots of the inner child trace back to Carl Jung’s divine child archetype, which he saw as both an individual and collective symbol of renewal and transformation. <ref name="Jung1969">Jung, C. G., & Kerényi, C. (1969). ''Essays on a Science of Mythology: The Myth of the Divine Child and the Mysteries of Eleusis''. Princeton University Press. [https://archive.org/details/essaysonscienceo00jung Internet Archive]</ref> 
The Jungian Child archetype led to the concept of the inner child. It has been defined as “all the past hidden ages” within a person’s life journey, consisting of memories and emotional layers from each stage of development that influence the formation of identity.<ref name="Firman1994">Firman, J., & Russell, A. (1994). ''Opening to the Inner Child: Recovering Authentic Personality''. [https://www.synthesiscenter.org/PDF/opening.pdf Synthesis Center PDF]</ref>

Psychologists have explored the role of the inner child in influencing adult behaviour. Lamagna (2011) explored how overwhelming emotional experiences in early life can shape present-day emotional functioning and relational patterns by remaining outside of conscious awareness. <ref name="Lamagna2011">Lamagna, J. (2011). Of the self, by the self, and for the self: An intra-relational perspective on intra-psychic attunement and psychological change. ''Journal of Psychotherapy Integration, 21''(3), 280–307.</ref>  The inner child is often considered as the vulnerable and hidden childlike part of a person with playfulness and creativity, but also accompanied by anger, hurt and fear from the early childhood experiences with caregivers. <ref name="Whitfield2015">Whitfield, C. L., & Nuckols, C. C. (2015). ''Healing the Child Within: Discovery and Recovery for Adult Children of Dysfunctional Families''. Health Communications.</ref>

The concept became known to a broader audience through books by [[John Bradshaw (author)|John Bradshaw]] and others. Bradshaw (2005) emphasised that by acknowledging the inner child, individuals could awaken their true selves and heal past emotional wounds. <ref name="Bradshaw2005">Bradshaw, J. (2005). ''Healing the Shame That Binds You''. Health Communications.</ref> These perspectives collectively affirm that the inner child will continue to influence an individual's sense of identity, emotional well-being, and relationships throughout life.

==Origins==
===Early Psychoanalysis===
[[Sigmund Freud]] emphasised the lasting impact of early childhood experiences on adult emotional life, especially unresolved conflicts and repressed memories from psychosexual developmental stages. <ref name="VanHaute2016">Van Haute, P., & Westerink, H. (2016). Sexuality and its object in Freud’s 1905 edition of ''Three Essays on the Theory of Sexuality''. ''The International Journal of Psychoanalysis, 97''(3), 563–589. [https://doi.org/10.1111/1745-8315.12480 https://doi.org/10.1111/1745-8315.12480]</ref> Although Freud did not use the term “inner child,” his work laid the foundation for later theorists. 

===Carl Jung’s Contribution===
[[Carl Jung]] expanded on these ideas with his theory of [[archetypes]], introducing the “Divine Child” as a symbol of innocence and potential, and later the “wounded child” as part of the individuation process of integrating unconscious material into a unified self. Jung’s ideas contributed significantly to the symbolic and psychological basis for the inner child. <ref name="Leigh2011">Leigh, D. J. (2011). Carl Jung’s archetypal psychology, literature, and ultimate meaning. ''Ultimate Reality and Meaning, 34''(1–2), 95–112. [https://doi.org/10.3138/uram.34.1-2.95 https://doi.org/10.3138/uram.34.1-2.95 ]</ref>

===1970-1980s: Rise of Self-Help and Humanistic Psychology===
In the late 20th century, the inner child became a prominent theme in [[therapeutic]] and self-help literature focused on healing childhood trauma.

One method of [[reparenting]] the inner child in therapy was originated by art therapist [[Lucia Capacchione]] in 1976 and documented in her book ''Recovery of Your Inner Child'' (1991). Using art therapy and journaling techniques, her method includes a "nurturing parent" and "protective parent" within "inner family work" to care for a person's physical, emotional, creative and spiritual needs (her definition of the inner child). It also posits a "critical parent within" and provides tools for managing it. [[Charles L. Whitfield]] dubbed the inner child the "child within" in his book ''Healing the Child Within: Discovery and Recovery for Adult Children of Dysfunctional Families'' (1987). Penny Park's book ''Rescuing the Inner Child'' (1990) provided a program for contacting and recovering the inner child.

In his television shows, and in books such as ''Homecoming: Reclaiming and Championing Your Inner Child'' (1990), [[John Bradshaw (author)|John Bradshaw]], a U.S. educator, [[pop psychology]] and [[self-help]] movement leader, used "inner child" to point to unresolved childhood experiences and the lingering dysfunctional effects of childhood dysfunction: the sum of mental-emotional memories stored in the sub-conscious from conception thru pre-puberty.<ref>{{cite news |last=Grimes |first=William |date=May 12, 2016 |title=John Bradshaw, self-help evangelist who called to the 'inner child,' dies at 82 |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2016/05/13/books/john-bradshaw-self-help-evangelist-dies-at-82.html |newspaper=[[The New York Times]]}}</ref>

==Therapeutic Approaches==
A range of therapeutic modalities incorporates the concept of the inner child to address emotional wounds rooted in early life experiences.

Bradshaw’s Recover Therapy is designed to help patients reconnect with their inner child to address maladaptive emotional and behavioural patterns developed with early childhood experiences. It involves [[group therapy]] and the practice of [[reparenting]]. Group therapy allows group members to express themselves and receive peer feedback to learn new behaviours and interactions that can be transferred to the real world. Reparenting means learning to acknowledge and love one's inner child. This allows an individual to offer oneself the care and support that may have been absent in childhood, improving emotional stability. <ref name="Bradshaw2005">Bradshaw, J. (2005). ''Healing the Shame That Binds You''. Health Communications.</ref>

The concept of the inner child is also present in [[psychosynthesis]] and [[psychotherapy]]. Within the framework of [[psychosynthesis]], the inner child is often characterized as a subpersonality<ref name="DohertyGuyler2008-p88">{{cite book|author1=Nora Doherty|author2=Marcelas Guyler|title=The Essential Guide to Workplace Mediation & Conflict Resolution: Rebuilding Working Relationships|url=https://archive.org/details/essentialguideto0000dohe|url-access=registration|year=2008|publisher=Kogan Page Publishers|isbn=978-0-7494-5019-9|pages=[https://archive.org/details/essentialguideto0000dohe/page/88 88]}}</ref> or may also be seen as a central element surrounded by subpersonalities.<ref name="Rosen2010-p43">{{cite book|author=Abby Rosen|title=Lasting Transformation: A Guide to Navigating Life's Journey|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=mCs-UfzXhfwC&pg=PA43|date=18 June 2010|publisher=BalboaPress|isbn=978-1-4525-0008-9|pages=43}}</ref> Therapy in this tradition aims to bring these inner parts into the conscious part of the personality and foster their integration in a more unified self. 

[[Internal Family Systems therapy]] (IFS therapy) posits that there is not just one inner child sub-personality, but many. IFS therapy calls wounded inner child sub-personalities "exiles" because they tend to be excluded from waking thought in order to avoid/defend against the pain carried in those memories. IFS therapy has a method that aims to gain safe access to a person's exiles, witnessing the stories of their origins in childhood, and healing them.

[[Cognitive-behavioural therapy]] (CBT), although not traditionally centred on the concept of the inner child, shares some conceptual similarities. [[Aaron Beck]]’s discovery of automatic thoughts emphasises how early experiences shape ongoing emotional and behavioural patterns. Beck found that these automated processes can be brought into conscious awareness and examined during therapy. These automatic thoughts can be seen as manifestations of the "inner child" in the adult self. <ref name="Hestbech2018">Hestbech, A. M. (2018). Reclaiming the inner child in cognitive-behavioral therapy: The complementary model of the personality. ''American Journal of Psychotherapy, 71''(1), 21–27. [https://doi.org/10.1176/appi.psychotherapy.20180008 https://doi.org/10.1176/appi.psychotherapy.20180008]</ref> In CBT, individuals can identify and modify beliefs and behaviours shaped by childhood experiences. This process parallels inner child therapy in its focus on addressing patterns rooted in childhood to support emotional well-being and behavioural change.

[[Music therapy]] may also incorporate inner child work. Techniques such as vocal holding and regression are used to access repressed emotions and experiences. Therapeutic regression enables clients to revisit events, regain lost feelings, and reunite pieces of themselves. Vocal holding can evoke a pre-verbal, early-attachment phase in a client’s life because no words are used. These are combined with re-examing prior events and experiences to help clients understand and connect with suppressed emotions and facilitate self-acceptance. <ref name="Lauw2022">Lauw, E. L. (2022). Connecting with my inner child through vocal psychotherapy. ''British Journal of Music Therapy, 37''(1), 135945752211453. [https://doi.org/10.1177/13594575221145387 https://doi.org/10.1177/13594575221145387]</ref>

==Empirical Support and Research==

While the concept of the inner child is mainly metaphorical, it has been extensively researched in terms of therapeutic approaches. These studies suggest that inner child-oriented therapies may improve mental conditions by addressing unresolved childhood experiences.

A clinical trial by Hodgdon et al. (2021) examined the efficacy of IFS therapy in adults with [[post-traumatic stress disorder]] (PTSD) and histories of childhood trauma. The study found statistically and clinically significant reductions in PTSD and depressive symptoms. At a one-month follow-up, 92% of participants no longer met the diagnostic criteria (DSM-IV-TR) for PTSD, indicating the potential of IFS therapy in addressing trauma-related psychopathology through inner child-focused subpersonalities.<ref name="Hodgdon2021">Hodgdon, H. B., Anderson, F. G., Southwell, E., Hrubec, W., & Schwartz, R. (2021). Internal Family Systems (IFS) therapy for PTSD among survivors of multiple childhood trauma: A pilot effectiveness study. ''Journal of Aggression, Maltreatment & Trauma, 31''(1), 22–43. [https://doi.org/10.1080/10926771.2021.2013375 https://doi.org/10.1080/10926771.2021.2013375]</ref> 

Moreover, Edalat et al. (2022) evaluated the effectiveness of a reparenting-based intervention using the self-attachment technique. It focuses on building a nurturing bond between the adult self and an internalised childhood self, aiming to heal emotional wounds. The results showed statistically significant improvements in the symptoms of chronic depression and anxiety among female participants with a large effect size after eight one-to-one sessions. <ref name="Edalat2022">Edalat, A., Farsinezhad, M., Bokharaei, M., & Judy, F. (2022). A pilot study to evaluate the efficacy of self-attachment to treat chronic anxiety and/or depression in Iranian women. ''International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 19''(11), 6376. [https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19116376 https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19116376]</ref>

[[Attachment theory]] also provides an indirect empirical foundation for inner child concepts. <ref name="Bowlby1969">Bowlby, J. (1969). ''Attachment and Loss (Vol. 1)''. Pimlico. [https://mindsplain.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/ATTACHMENT_AND_LOSS_VOLUME_I_ATTACHMENT.pdf PDF]</ref> Bowlby’s model suggested that early attachment experience creates ‘internal working models’  that influence emotional regulation and attachment patterns throughout life. <ref name="Rees2007">Rees, C. (2007). Childhood attachment. ''British Journal of General Practice, 57''(544), 920–922. [https://doi.org/10.3399/096016407782317955 https://doi.org/10.3399/096016407782317955]</ref> This framework resonates with the inner child concept, where unmet childhood needs continue to affect later life. 

==Criticism==

Despite some promising therapeutic outcomes, the inner child concept has been subject to significant academic criticism. Critics argue that the inner child lacks [[falsifiability]], an essential criterion for scientific validity according to Karl Popper (1963). Since it is framed metaphorically and not operationalised in measurable terms, it resists empirical testing and classification as a scientific theory. <ref name="Popper1963">Hesse, M., & Popper, K. R. (1963). Conjectures and refutations: The growth of scientific knowledge. ''The Philosophical Quarterly, 15''(61), 372. [https://doi.org/10.2307/2218271 https://doi.org/10.2307/2218271]</ref> This challenges its standing as a psychological construct.

Furthermore, most studies are based on [[qualitative data]] or [[self-report]] measures, which lack validity.  Lilienfeld et al. (2013)  argue that cognitive biases can influence subjective reports from clients and clinicians and, therefore, cannot replace controlled empirical research. <ref name="Lilienfeld2013">Lilienfeld, S. O., Ritschel, L. A., Lynn, S. J., Cautin, R. L., & Latzman, R. D. (2013). Why many clinical psychologists are resistant to evidence-based practice: Root causes and constructive remedies. ''Clinical Psychology Review, 33''(7), 883–900. [https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cpr.2012.09.008 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cpr.2012.09.008]</ref> Moreover, many studies supporting inner child-based therapies rely on small sample sizes, lacking generalisability.<ref name="Hodgdon2021" /><ref name="Edalat2022" /> This makes it difficult to draw definitive conclusions about the effectiveness of inner child therapies. 

Large-scale, controlled studies directly validating the inner child as a psychological construct remain limited. Most available research assesses outcomes of therapeutic practices referencing the concept, rather than testing it as an independent variable.<ref name="Lilienfeld2013" />


==See also==
* [[Codependency]] – Type of relationship where one person enables the other's self-destructive tendencies, a consequence of dysfunctional families
* [[Developmental needs meeting strategy]] – Psychotherapy approach for adults with psychological trauma
* [[Dysfunctional family]] – Family dynamic in which conflict and child neglect or child abuse occur regularly
* [[Inner critic]] – Concept in psychology to describe a subpersonality that judges and demeans oneself
* {{slink|Schema therapy#Schema modes}} – Momentary mind states in response to difficult situations

==References==
{{Reflist}}

{{Jung|state=collapsed}}

[[Category:Analytical psychology]]
[[Category:New Thought beliefs]]
[[Category:Popular psychology]]