The aim of this study is to give an in-depth understanding of the representations of a depressed woman who killed her baby. The representations under study is based on “The motherhood constellation” by Stern (1995) and focus on the woman’s representation of her mother as mother-of-herself-as-child, herself-as-mother and her representations of her children. Pregnancy is an important phase in a woman’s life. Parent-infant psychotherapies are a rapidly growing field of infant mental health as many psychological problems have their roots in infancy. Neglect, trauma and abuse and prolonged maternal depression can cause a child to develop a range of problems. The work of Winnicott (1965a) and Bion (1988) put the mother’s fantasy life about her infant as one of the major building blocks of the infant’s construction of a sense of identity (Stern, 1995). Fraiberg (Fraiberg, Adelson&Shapiro, 1980) with her “ghosts in the nursery” revolutionised this perception by placing the maternal representation at the core of the parent-infant clinical situation (Stern, 1995). The way the research developed and the nature of the research problem necessitated a pure qualitative mode of enquiry. A single case study was done about the representations (of self-as-mother, mother-as –mother–of–self-as-child- and of the children) in an extreme case where the mother’s depression led to her murdering her baby. Data collection was done through semi-structured interviews and documents from the psychiatric hospitals she attended. Data was also obtained from field notes, before and after the interviews and also while transcribing the audio-taped interviews. Data analysis was done by the procedures of data reduction and organising it into categories on the basis of themes as described by Neuman (2000). Coding and analytic memo writing were done. The relationships between concepts were examined and linked to each other and interweaved into theoretical statements. The researcher argues that not enough is done to enhance the relationship between a mother and her foetus, and later her baby. The concept of maternal representations is the only approach that opens the possibility to start working at the earliest point of prevention, because intervention can start during pregnancy. Intervention during pregnancy is ideal because defence mechanisms are less rigid during pregnancy and women are more in touch with their entire life cycle and the whole system is more open for change. The ghosts can be chased out of the nursery by helping the mother to see the repetition of the past in the present. The affective link, recognising and remembering the feelings help a parent not to repeat the past in the present - “…it is the parent who cannot remember his childhood feelings of pain and anxiety who will need to inflict his pain upon his child” (Fraiberg, Adelson&Shapiro, 1980, p. 182). / Thesis (PhD (Psychotherapy))--University of Pretoria, 2006. / Psychology / unrestricted

The purpose of this study was to discover and describe the structure and essential meaning of the experience of betrayal in intimate relationships. Previous and current research has directed much attention to the consequences and effects of betrayal in relationships, however the essential experience of the phenomenon of betrayal has received less attention. The experience of betrayal was approached from a Kleinian perspective. A review of the literature revealed that betrayal per se is less frequently found in psychological texts although extensive reference to the construct is found in the field of sociology, in texts on deviance (Ben-Yehuda, 2001). However, inherent aspects of the phenomenon may be recalled for the purposes of this study, notably trust and loyalty. Trust is considered to be an intrinsic variable in the phenomenon of betrayal. Loyalty appears to be an interchangeable variable and is briefly included in this study. Trust as a significant aspect in the establishment of human relationships was discussed with reference to relevant psychological paradigms. The bridge to Kleinian theory was formed using trust as a fundamental aspect of the primary mother-infant relationship. Further exploration of core Kleinian constructs and Klein’s developmental positions, were also integrated in elucidating the phenomenon of betrayal in intimate relationships. Being qualitative in nature, the experience of betrayal was explored using research principles of grounded theory (Strauss&Corbin, 1990/1998) for the purposes of data reduction, analysis and generation of theory. In addition, the qualitative research interview, proposed by Kvale (1996), was used to collect the data. In-depth interviews with five participants and a second interview with one of the participants were conducted. The participants were unknown to myself as the researcher, prior to commencing the study and they were formally approached by three fellow practising psychologists. Furthermore, the study of the experience of betrayal included verification of the transcribed interviews by the participants, prior to data reduction and analysis. In this manner, opportunities for further reflection and an enhanced understanding of the experience of betrayal were provided. The core category which emerges from this inquiry is a sense of alienation which individuals experience as a result of betrayal in intimate relationships. Therefore, contrary to Klein’s extensive emphasis on intrapsychic processes, the interpersonal nature of individuals cannot be excluded or underestimated. These findings specifically contribute to Kleinian theory, social psychology, sociology, theology and psychotherapy. In this study the participants’ experience of betrayal, the consequences for the participants themselves and the outcome of the relationships were addressed. Furthermore, the significance of cognitive processes in adulthood and the theoretical implications of the relational phenomenon of betrayal for further research were mentioned. Contributions to Klein’s theory as well as a critical review of the research methodology and a critique of the strengths and limitations of this study were also included. / Thesis (PhD)--University of Pretoria, 2007. / Psychology / PhD / Unrestricted

M.A. / Conduct disorder is one of the most frequently diagnosed childhood disorders. The prevalence of this disorder has increased over the past few decades, which has ramifications for many facets of society, such as with families, justice systems, institutions involved with the rehabilitation of these children, and society as a whole. Conduct disorder has been found to be stable over time, and is therefore often associated with problems later in life such as violent crime, alcoholism, marital discord, and antisocial personality disorder. There have been many theories advanced for the aetiology of conduct disorder, but it is generally a bio-psychosocial model, rather than a single theory that receives the most attention when considering the development of this disorder. Included within such a model are variables such as a genetic component, neuropsychological factor, comorbid factor, socio-economic element, and a social learning component, that are involved with the development and maintenance of conduct disorder. One of the most consistently researched aspects involved within such models proposed for the aetiology of conduct disorder has been the role that certain parental styles have in the development of conduct disorder. Parental styles and the home environment have been consistently found to be a precursor of conduct disorder in foreign studies, however there is a lack of research within a South African context in this area. In order to establish whether there are specific styles of parenting related to conduct disorder in a South African sample, two measuring instruments were utilised, which were the Parental Bonding Instrument (PBI) and the Family Environment Scale (FES). The PBI and FES were administered to two groups of adolescents (n=80): one group of males (n=40) diagnosed with conduct disorder, and one group of males (n=40) without a diagnosis of conduct disorder. These instruments were used in order to establish if there were any differences in the perceived style of parenting between the two groups. The study yielded results that are similar to those found in foreign based studies. It was found with the South African sample, that a parenting style characterised by a low amount of care on the part of the mother, and overprotection on the part of the father was found within the conduct disorder group. Together these form a Parenting style of `affectionless control'. These parents were found to exert a high amount of control over their children, have a low expressiveness of emotions and feelings, have a low involvement with their children, and were poor at supervising and monitoring their children. These results indicate that parental styles could be a precursor of conduct disorder within a South African context. The implications of these results are discussed as well as the limitations of the study. Recommendations for future research and possible applications of the results are delineated.

This study explored the lived experience of traumatisation manifesting as enduring undiagnosed post- traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) on the overall psychological functioning of members currently serving in the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) from an object-relations perspective. A qualitative approach with a phenomenological study design using semi-structured interviews and self- report questionnaires to gather data was employed. Prominent themes formed the content for interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA) from an object-relations perspective on pathology in relation to untreated trauma of the psyche. The findings indicated that servicemen and women in the SANDF lived in a chronic state of psychic, occupational and relational disintegration. Recurrence of reactivated past unresolved traumas experienced in dreams, troubled sleep and internal conflict were characterised by annihilation anxiety, psychic numbing and repression. Further, there was a chronic sense of loss of the self through loss of good internal and external self-objects as well as in meaning of life and work as a soldier. The findings further revealed overall functional paralysis as evidenced in these SANDF members’continued psychological deterioration, which manifested in irreversible damage to character and cognitive deficits linked to chronic trauma in the form of undiagnosed PTSD. / Thesis (PhD (Psychology))--University of Pretoria, 2020. / Psychology / PhD (Psychology) / Unrestricted

[pt] O objetivo desta pesquisa foi estudar sobre a clínica dos casos-limite numa perspectiva psicanalítica, por meio de uma revisão de literatura. Esses sujeitos revelam uma marcante precariedade no que se refere à construção dos limites intersubjetivos, configurando uma difícil relação interpessoal ao longo da vida. São pacientes que exigem do psicanalista uma atenção em relação a técnica empregada e um olhar para as primeiras relações de objeto. Assim, em um primeiro momento, utilizamos das contribuições técnicas e teóricas de Sigmund Freud no atendimento em casos de neurose de transferência, isto é, pacientes onde o sintoma se configura a partir do recalque, que vão orientar uma técnica que se convencionou a chamar de clássica. São sujeitos que não se enquadram como casos-limite. Em seguida, colhemos as contribuições de Sándor Ferenczi sobre a clínica dos casos graves, valorizando o tato do analista, sua sensibilidade e elasticidade da técnica. Por fim, com Donald Woods Winnicott, abordamos alguns aspectos fundamentais como os primórdios da constituição psíquica e as relações objetais primárias, assim como o brincar e a regressão à dependência no setting, posto que são elementos centrais que nos ajudam a pensar a clínica dos casos-limite por uma outra dimensão que não a técnica clássica. Nesse trajeto, é possível destacar o holding frente aos impasses e desafios na clínica desses casos na contemporaneidade. / [en] The aim of this research was to study the clinical practice of the borderline cases in a psychoanalyst perspective, based on a literature review. These individuals reveal an important fragility related to intersubjective boundaries, which results in a difficult interpersonal relationship throughout life. They are patients who demand from the analyst a close attention of the technique used, and also a look at the first objects relations. Thus, at first, we used all Sigmund Freud s technical and theoretical background in clinical care of transference neurosis, that is, patients where the symptom is formedfrom repression, that will guide a technique that is conventionally called classic. They are subjects that do not fit asborderline cases. Then we extracted the corpus of Sándor Ferenczi in terms of the clinic of severe cases, in which, we value the analyst experience and sensibility, and the technique versatility. At last, based on Donald Woods Winnicott, we address some fundamental aspects such as the beginnings of the psychic constitution and the primary object relations, as well as the play and the regression of dependency in the setting, since they are central elements that help us to think about the clinic of borderline cases from a different perspective other than the classic techniques. Along this path, it is possible to highlight the holding in the view of the impasses and challenges of this cases on the contemporary clinic.

The purpose of this study is to show principles of TAT card pull are applicable to object relations theory, and card pull effects are greater in subjects with greater impairments. Stories of physically abused and control child and adolescent subjects were evaluated on object relations scales of the SCORS (Westen et al., 1985). Scores varied systematically as a function of card stimulus characteristics. Analysis of scales assessing internalization of self supported stimulus inhibition interpretation while scales measuring views of others or individual affective experiences advanced stimulus pull explanation. Abused individuals' response patterns were similar to controls except on CR. Results of this study may increase TAT utility for evaluating object relations functioning by guiding card selection.

No description available.

[pt] Trauma e regressão são dois conceitos que sempre suscitaram debates e mesmo controvérsias em Psicanálise. No decorrer da presente tese, procuramos analisar o desenvolvimento de ambos nas teorizações de Freud e de alguns dos principais teóricos das relações objetais precoces, dentre os quais destacam-se Donald Winnicott e Michael Balint, que, na esteira das mudanças operadas na teoria e na técnica analíticas por Sàndor Ferenczi, ampliaram de forma original o escopo teórico em torno de determinados fenômenos clínicos que implicam em formas singulares de sofrimento subjetivo. Neste sentido, buscamos articular nossa reflexão com alguns outros conceitos fundamentais propostos por esses autores; mais especificamente, os conceitos de amor primário e falha básica em Balint, e os de holding e fenômenos transicionais em Winnicott. A partir daí, sustentamos que o pensamento teórico-clínico baseado no modelo relacional tem possibilitado uma melhor apreensão dos processos determinantes da constituição psíquica e das diferentes formas de subjetivação e elaboração do trauma, nas quais a compreensão da situação analítica como campo comum inconsciente passa a ser relevante para o processo terapêutico. / [en] Trauma and regression are concepts that have always raised some debate and controversy in Psychoanalysis. Throughout the present thesis, the development of both will be analyzed in Freud s theories and also in some of the main authors on the early object relations, among which Donald Winnicott and Michael Balint stand out for improving the changes made in the analysis theory and techniques developed by Sàndor Ferenczi. The two enlarged in an inventive way the theoretical scope around certain clinical phenomena that bring about unique subject suffering. In this line of thought, this paper aims to associate some reflection to other fundamental concepts proposed by these authors; more specifically, the concepts of primary love and of basic fault in Balint, and those of holding and transitional phenomena in Winnicott. On this ground, it can be concluded that the clinical-theoretical thinking based on the relational model has enabled a better apprehension of the processes which are essential in the psychic constitution and in the various ways to take power over and elaborate on trauma, in which understanding of the analytical situation, as an unconscious common ground turns out to be relevant for the therapeutical process.

The problem statement of this research is, "What is the· basis of the intergroup relations that potentially lead to ineffective work behaviour, and how does it manifest in groups within a specific consulting organisation, in terms of the premises of the Tavistock model of group relations?" The psychodynamic approach, psychoanalytic technique, open systems theory and object relations theory were used. The unstructured interview and hermeneutic approach were used for collection of data, and analysis and interpretation. The results of the research indicate that groups, in interaction with other groups, may install defences against anxieties which could undermine the success of their work efforts .. Issues of ' . ' nonclarity of task, group boundary and identity issues, authority issues and reactions of projection seemed prevalent. Various hypotheses were developed which could be used as a basis for further research. / Industrial and Organisation Psychology / M.A. (Industrial Psychology)

The problem statement of this research is, "What is the· basis of the intergroup relations that potentially lead to ineffective work behaviour, and how does it manifest in groups within a specific consulting organisation, in terms of the premises of the Tavistock model of group relations?" The psychodynamic approach, psychoanalytic technique, open systems theory and object relations theory were used. The unstructured interview and hermeneutic approach were used for collection of data, and analysis and interpretation. The results of the research indicate that groups, in interaction with other groups, may install defences against anxieties which could undermine the success of their work efforts .. Issues of ' . ' nonclarity of task, group boundary and identity issues, authority issues and reactions of projection seemed prevalent. Various hypotheses were developed which could be used as a basis for further research. / Industrial and Organisation Psychology / M.A. (Industrial Psychology)