Understanding Object Relations Theory: Development of Psychic Functioning & Relationships, Slides of Psychology

Download Understanding Object Relations Theory: Development of Psychic Functioning & Relationships and more Slides Psychology in PDF only on Docsity! TS... Object Relations Theories Dr. Geoff Goodman a I. Introduction to Object Relations Theories • A. Obtain home, phone number, e-mail address • B. Previous exposure to object relations theories • C. Course requirement • D. Review of syllabus III. What is Object Relations: Definitions A. “Theories, or aspects of theories, concerned with exploring the relationship between real, external people and internal images and residues of relations with them, and the significance of these residues for psychic functioning” (Greenberg & Mitchell, 1983, p.12). Object Relations: Definitions Continued B. Three definitions by Kernberg (1976a) 1. Understanding present interpersonal relations in terms of past ones 2. Construction of mental representations of dyadic “self” and “object” relationships a. baby and mother relationship b. triadic relationships c. multiple relationships within and outside of the family Object Relations: Definitions Continued 3. Specific approaches or theories A. Kleinian school B. British Independent school C. Integrations of these two schools Continued… • E. Disturbances in object relations predict forms of psychopathology • F. Patient relations with therapists reflect healthy and pathological aspects of early relationship patterns V. Critiques of These Assumptions A. Sexual and physical abuse and other types of trauma can produce severe psychopathology at later stages of development 1. early risk factors might still play a role 2. early resilience factors might still play a role Critiques Continued… • B. Different aspects of object relations can increase in complexity or remain static • 1. capacity for investment in people • 2. capacity for investment in values and morals • 3. affect tone of relationship paradigms • 4. complexity of object representations (high for BPD) • 5. understanding of social causality VI. Dimensions of Variation in Object Relations Theories A. The function of object relations 1. need-gratifying (drive theory) 2. object- seeking (systems theory) 3. controversy between perception of object relations as creation or re-creation of specific modes of relatedness with others vs. drive discharge Continued… 4. Drive Theorists • A. Freud • B. Klein • C. Mahler 5. Interpersonal theorists A. Sullivan B. Fairbairn C. Bowlby B. Endogenous/exogenous role in object relations 1. heavy influence of sexual and aggressive drives 2. heavy influence of real external events and relationships 3. controversy between perception of object relations as drive-influenced distortions of real relationships (funhouse of mirrors) vs. accommodations to real relationships (reality-- based perceptions) 4. transactional model--interactions of genetics and environment VII. Specific Theorists that Illustrate These Variations A. Melanie Klein 1. paranoid-schizoid position 2. depressive position 3. drive theorists who believe in infant’s capacity for inherent object-sucking Melanie Klein Continued… 4. sexual and aggressive drives inevitably distort the development of object relations (mother is infant in drag) 5. stage theory used but modified to accommodate positions that reflect moment- to-moment shifts in relating 6. psychopathology arises out of conflicts derived from good and bad mental representations B. John Bowlby 1. secure attachment (B) 2. anxious-avoidant attachment (A) 3. anxious-resistant attachment (C) 4. disorganized attachment (D) 5. systems theorist who believed in infant’s capacity for inherent object- seeking (attachment)