Mlcers go back in time to a place where they were emotionally stunted. They need to face those issues, accept the things that they had no control over and then begin to move forward and grow up. They didn't get the validation, affirmation, the atta boy or girl on the back, they didn't get approval for the things that they accomplished and/or their ideas and possible love at that young age. They may have been criticized or made fun of and yes, a sibling may have been gotten all of the love and attention from the parents. There may have been abuse in the home, i.e., verbal, mental or physical.
During MLC, they are seeking validation and affirmation from those around them. They want to be recognized for what they do in a big way and sometimes will go out of their way to point out the things that they have done (good things) just to get the recognition. As for approval, they seek approval of others for the decisions that they are making at this time, which could include parents and/or authority figures. They want people to approve of their separating and divorcing of the spouses and, of course, their new life styles.
This link will explain some of what I have posted in the first paragraph:
