Thus, Chasseguet-Smirgel postulates that the ego ideal, by "impl the promise of a return to that primitive state of fusion" ("The ego ideal" p. 43), effectively functions as a "maturation drive" ("The ego ideal" p. 44). Unfortunately, Chasseguet-Smirgel argues, environmental factors often interfere with the maturation drive. If the child's frustrations are too great, for example, reality-testing breaks down, and his "narcissism . . . remains split off from its instinctual life and cathects an exaggerated ego ideal" ("The ego ideal" p. 32)