Ogden's autistic-contiguous position and the role of interpretation in psychoanalytic theory building.

Ogden's proposed addition of the 'autistic-contiguous' position to the existing P-S and D positions is critically examined. It is concluded that it is not an equivalent concept to the existing positions. The case vignettes offered by Ogden as illustrations of his proposed position are analysed and doubt is thrown on the way in which interpretations may be used to elicit apparent confirmation of theoretical positions.