Psychodynamic Theories: Object Relations

Overview of Object Relations Theory

• Objects: People, or portions of their personalities

• 1st.meaning object relations( Ego Function): ability to have productive relationships with others in a variety of contexts

• 2nd meaning object relations ( Object Relations Theory): internalized attitudes toward others and self as they affect one’s approach to new relationships

Overview of Object Relations Theory (cont.)

• Focuses on the internal representations of one’s relationships and how they shape thoughts, feelings and behavior toward others, and the self

• Shift from focus on drives to relationships• Contributions of object relations theory:

– Understanding attachments– One’s inner world composed of representations of

others– Balancing being alone and being with others

Evolution of Object Relations Theory

• Psychoanalysis focused on drives. View of human nature pessimistic, an ongoing conflict to resolve drives: pleasure (sexual), aggression, mastery and competence)

• Ego psychology views humans as less drive ridden and capable of adapting to their environment to meet needs

• Object relations theorists looks at human relationships as key in forming personality and facilitating adaption to the environment

Effects of Early Nurturing

• Childhood experiences with abuse, poverty, neglect, and family struggles correlate with later health problems (physical and mental health)

• Relational experiences of infants and children affect central nervous system mechanisms that govern physiological and psychological responses to stress

• Animal studies have shown that animals receiving extensive care-providing develop more receptor sites for neurochemicals chemicals that reduce the stress response

Effects of early nurturing (cont.)

• Attachment difficulties during the 1st 3 years of life impact brain development and can continue to do so through age 20

• Secure attachments play a critical role in shaping the neurochemical and physiological responses to stress

• Warm and responsive caregivers prevent elevations in stress hormones

• Insecure relationships are associate with higher stress hormone production

Feminist Analysis of Object Relations Theory

• Women and men approach relationships differently• Masculine or feminine behaviors demonstrated by a person may

have a hormonal etiology; but also influenced by cultural and social realities

• One feminist perspective is that demonstration of feminine or masculine traits develops from early childhood relationships

• Pressure for boys to separate from mother deters males from a learned capacity for intimacy and relatedness

• Second feminist perspective is that women value connectedness whereas males value separateness

• Women make “moral” decisions ( what is right or wrong) through a concern with “caring;” whereas males focus on what is “just”

Major Concepts of Object Relations Theory: Attachment

• All people have an inherent biological need to form attachments

• Satisfactory human development is dependent on healthy early attachments

• There may be critical periods wherein a failure of lack of a key care-providing relationship can have long term consequence

Major Concepts of Object Relations Theory: Introjection

• 1st. Definition: Psychologically “taking in” the characteristics of another person

• Example: Child fearful of aggressive parent “takes in” characteristics of aggression so as to identify and feel safe with the parent. This child could then develop aggressive behavioral tendencies

• 2nd. definition: Process of carrying images of others, psychologically, when they are not physically present

Major Concepts of Object Relations Theory: Representation

• The content, or result, of an introjection• A cognitive construction with deep emotional resonance• Internal images of other people formed consciously, or

unconsciously• Quality of images crucial to development of stable or

unstable object relations• Representations are accompanied by affects, strong

feelings, experienced when in presence of others similar to ones earlier “representations” – Rigid and controlling bosses, with whom you have conflict, may

elicit representations of a rigid and controlling parent

Major Concepts of Object Relations Theory: Object relations

• A person’s internalized attitudes towards other people as well as towards oneself

• Interactions with early caregivers are especially significant in determining object relations with others

Major Concepts of Object Relations Theory: Object, Internal and External

Objects• Object is an actual person or one’s mental

representation of a person or part of a person

• Internal object: same as a “representation”

• External object: an existing person (of whom you can also have an internal representation)

Object relations problems

• Early deprivation in caregiving and the environment can create individuals with anxiety who are at risk for mental health problems

• Defenses associated with object relations problems include: denial, projection, projective identification and splitting

• Splitting: characterizes how a person sees others as being “all good” or “all bad” prior to seeing them as “whole” with both good and bad qualities– Splitting is a universal coping mechanism for children This is

unlearned by understanding that “Mommy is upset but still loves you...”

People with significantly impaired object relations are frequently in conflict with others

They cannot integrate the positive and negative aspects of others and either love or hate peopleThis can be considered a tendency for a borderline personality disorder

Major Concepts of Object Relations Theory: Part Objects and Whole Objects

• Part object: One or several characteristics internalized about a person but not the “total” person ( internalized representations of a caring OR a hostile parent; but, not both representations simultaneously)

• Whole object is internalization of ALL aspects of another person (capacity to integrate both gratifying and frustrating experiences with care provider)

• Capacity to internalize a whole object represents psychological maturity

Major Concepts of Object Relations Theory: Self-objects, True and False Self

• Self-object: internalization of one’s own SELF• We internalize aspects of ourselves (in whole or in part)

as well as our experiences of others. • Could feel positively, negatively or both about ourselves • True self: self-object representation wherein a person

recognizes possessing a variety of characteristics ( positive and negative) as well as various personal needs

• False self: Devaluing personal needs in deference to others’ needs– This could lead to a “victim,” “martyr,” generally self-sacrificing

person (Acquiesecne could mask bitterness and hostility regarding unmnet needs)

Major Concepts of Object Relations Theory: Object Constancy

• Object constancy: Capacity to carry whole object representations of significant people even when separated from them

• With object constancy person can balance being alone and being with others

• They are aware that others care about them even when not in the presence of those “others”

David Winnicott Object Relations Contributions

• Facilitative environment: Comprised of people and resources that meet the infant’s needs for healthy development– Facilitative environment allows for moving from dependence to

independenceHolding environment: “safe space” whereby the child can explore the

world and take risks. The social worker provides a “holding environment” for the client

• “Good enough mother”: Focused on meeting the needs of the child, above all else. Social worker becomes the “good enough parent….”

• Transitional object: physical object adopted by the child, giving her the sense of the parent being with her, although physically separate from the parent (example: blanket, stuffed toy, etc,)

• Transitional objects are not universal, only existing in societies that value independence

Margaret Mahler and Object Relations’ Concepts

• Psychological Birth of the Infant, 1975 (observed bonding behaviors between mothers and babies)

• Separation and individuation process: 3 years in duration, wherein child moves from complete dependence to “object constancy”

• 1st stage, autism (birth to 3 months): infant senses no difference between self and the external world

• 2nd stage, symbiosis (1 to 5 months): infant senses an “other” who exists, only to meet his needs

Margaret Mahler (continued)

• 3rd stage: has four substages:– Differentiation, (5 to 8 months): infant aware of being different

from the other and has the capacity to function apart from that person

– Practicing, (8 to 16 months): infant begins to intentionally separate from others (i.e. crawling away)

– Rapprochement, (16-24 months): child learns she can be apart from “other” however she can call for “help” (i.e. toddlers)

– Object constancy, (24-36 months): child has “internalized an image of the other” (object) and can spend longer time alone without feeling abandoned

• Suggestion has been made that this 3rd change repeats within adolescence as the teen progressively attempts to individuate and differentiate ( Erikson: identity diffusion vs. identity consolidation)

Client Change Through Object Relations: Purposes

• Develop insight into their repetitive negative interpersonal relationships (developmental reflection)

• Modify their internal “objects” (representations of self and others) so that they can respond to people in their present, as unique, not “ghosts from the past”

• Client analyzes and discusses thoughts, feelings and behaviors regarding new or existing relationships, until new patterns of relating become stable

• Client develops more integrated sense of herself by being able to see the “good, the bad and the ugly…” in all people, including herself

Client and Worker Relationship Through Object Relations Perspective

• Monitoring transference and countertransference within the clinical relationship is critical

• Client will tend to act out her or his object relations’ patterns with the practitioner

• Projective identification needs to be scrutinized– To not be reactive to client’s potential projections

• Practitioner must provide “good enough mothering” within a safe holding environment

Assessment Through Object Relations

• Similar to ego psychology, with greater emphasis on object relations’ ego function

• Assess for:– Quality of relationships with significant others– Are interpersonal conflicts present-rooted, or are old

patterns being repeated?– Are current problem behaviors an attempt to master

old patterns by repeating them (repetition compulsion)– Does client have distorted memories of past that need

to be corrected?– Capacity for client to develop healthier relationship

with SELF and others through work of the therapeutic working alliance

Interventions and Object Relations

• Similar to those used in ego psychology • Greater emphasis on sustainment and developmental

reflection• Stages of object relations intervention:

– Early stage: Analysis and interpretation of positive and negative interactions with others in varying life contexts

– Middle stage: Interpreting maladaptive defenses such as splitting and projective identification. Having client identify uncomfortable feelings he is trying to disown and project

– End phase: Client is guided into corrective experiences with people within his environment, using clinical relationship as a model for managing relationships with others

• Worker and client need to agree on the limits and boundaries of relationship ( impulsive and demanding behaviors will be likely)

Object RelationsEvidence of Effectiveness

• Object relations has been used with a variety of types of clients and challenges

• Majority of reports are cares studies

• There have been pre and quasi-experimental designs

SUMMARY PRINCIPLES OF OBJECT RELATIONS THEORY

The basic human tendency (or drive) is relationships with others

Our personalities are structured through ongoing interactions with others in the social environment

All patterns of behavior are learned in the give and take of relational life; they are all adaptive ways of negotiating experience in the context of circumstances, and our need to elicit care from others

We all develop interpersonal relationship patterns; our new relationships tend to involve re-enactments of earlier relationships

The self consists of internalized affective perceptions of others

OBJECT (INTERPERSONAL) RELATIONS DEVELOPMENT

SecurityTrust

Self-EsteemSense of Self

AvailabilityReflection of worth

ConsistencyPositive regard

The self: Internalized messages and affects related to prior significant others

New Relationships

Developing child / Ego Primary Significant Others

Internalized messagesand affects

Expectations About

Early Years

Later Years

Significant Others in the Environment

Significant Others in the Environment