Mental Representation and Therapeutic Change:
A Contribution from the Psychoanalytical Approach of Object Relations Theory
Keywords:
Mental representation, Therapeutic change, Psychoanalytic psychotherapy, Object relationsAbstract
In spite of the progress realized in psychotherapeutic research, studies in the psychoanalytical approach are
still scarce. The objective of this article is to present and to discuss the contribution of the concept of mental representation
as an important construct to substantiate psychoanalytic research based on the identification of the elements associated with
therapeutic change. First, concepts and psychoanalytic models are presented and after that the notion of mental representation
is specifically discussed in relation to therapeutic change, particularly the object relation theory. Thus, the Object Relation
Inventory is presented, an instrument designed to assess the quality of mental representations, evaluating changes along
psychotherapy. Elements to improve clinical work and the development of research in psychoanalysis are presented.
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References
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and attachment: A theoretical review of the infant-mother
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Barish, K. (2004). What is therapeutic in child therapy? I.
Therapeutic engagement. Psychoanalytic Psychology, 21,
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internalizing and externalizing problem behaviors in early
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Evaluating efficacy, effectiveness, and mutative factors
in psychodynamic psychotherapies. In PDM Task Force.
Psychodynamic diagnostic manual (pp. 537-572). Silver
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Blatt, S. J., & Auerbach, J. S. (2003). Psychodynamic measures
of therapeutic change. Psychoanalytic Inquiry, 23, 268-307.
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and the therapeutic process. Review of General Psychology,
1, 351-374.
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configurations of psychopathology and change in thought
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disturbed young adults. American Journal of Psychiatry, 164,
1561”“1567.
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Wein, S. (1988). The assessment of qualitative and structural
dimensions of object representations. Unpublished research
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Bowlby, J. (1969). Attachment and loss: Vol. 1: Attachment. New
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function: Their role in self-organization. Development and
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Kernberg, O. F. (2005). Identity diffusion in severe personality
disorders. In S. Strack (Ed.), Handbook of personality and
psychopathology (pp. 39-49). Hoboken, N. J.: John Wiley
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psicoterapia de apoio: controvérsias contemporâneas. In A.
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psicanálise (pp.23-49). Rio de Janeiro: Imago Eds.
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for children and adolescents with anxiety disorders. Praxis
der Kinderpsychologie und Kinderpsychiatrie, 54, 559-577.
Mahler, M. S. (1993). O nascimento psicológico da criança:
simbiose e individuação. Porto Alegre: Artes Médicas.
Main, M. (1996). Introduction to the special section on attachment
and psychopathology: Overview of the field of attachment.
Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 64, 237-243.
Matos, M. (2004). Acerca da identidade sexual como elemento de
ligação somato-psíquica. Revista Portuguesa de Psicossomática,
6, 7-15.
Novey, S. (1958). The meaning of the concept of mental
representation of objects. The Psychoanalytic Quarterly, 27,
40-366.
Pine, F. (1998). As quatro psicologias da psicanálise e seu lugar no
trabalho clínico. Revista de Psicanálise, 3, 339-359.
Ramires, V. R. R. (2003). Cognição social e teoria do apego:
Possíveis articulações. Psicologia: Reflexão e Crítica. Retrieved
from http://www.scielo.br/pdf/prc/v16n2/ a20v16n2.pdf.
Russell, R. L., & Orlinsky, D. E. (1996). Psychotherapy research
in historical perspective: implications for mental health care
policy. Archives of General Psychiatry, 53, 708-715.
Zaslavsky, J. (2005). Por que publicar a pesquisa qualitativa em
psicoterapia e psicanálise? (Editorial). Revista de Psiquiatria
do Rio Grande do Sul, 3, 238-239.
and attachment: A theoretical review of the infant-mother
relationship. Child Development, 40, 969-1026.
Barish, K. (2004). What is therapeutic in child therapy? I.
Therapeutic engagement. Psychoanalytic Psychology, 21,
385-401.
Beres, M. D., & Joseph, E. D. (1970). Beres, D., Joseph, E.D. (1970).
The concept of mental representation in psychoanalysis.
International Journal of Psychoanalysis, 51,1-8.
Berti, T. R. (2004). Mudança psíquica: Uma revisão. Revista
Brasileira de Psicoterapia, 1, 35-49.
Besser, A., & Blatt, S. J. (2007). Identity consolidation and
internalizing and externalizing problem behaviors in early
adolescence. Psychoanalytic Psychology, 24, 125-149.
Blatt, S. J., Auerbach, J. S., Zuroff, D. C., & Shahar, G. (2006).
Evaluating efficacy, effectiveness, and mutative factors
in psychodynamic psychotherapies. In PDM Task Force.
Psychodynamic diagnostic manual (pp. 537-572). Silver
Spring, MD: Alliance of Psychoanalytic Organizations.
Blatt, S., & Levy, K. N. (2003). Attachment theory, psychoanalysis,
personality development, and psychopathology. Psychoanalytic
Inquiry, 23, 102-150.
Blatt, S. J., & Auerbach, J. S. (2003). Psychodynamic measures
of therapeutic change. Psychoanalytic Inquiry, 23, 268-307.
Blatt, S. J., Auerbach, J. S., & Levy, K. N. (1997). Mental
representations in personality development, psychopathology,
and the therapeutic process. Review of General Psychology,
1, 351-374.
Blatt, S. J., Besser, A., & Ford, R. Q. (2007). Two primary
configurations of psychopathology and change in thought
disorder in long-term intensive inpatient treatment of seriously
disturbed young adults. American Journal of Psychiatry, 164,
1561”“1567.
Blatt, S. J., Chevron, E. S., Quinlan, D. M., Schaffer, C. E., &
Wein, S. (1988). The assessment of qualitative and structural
dimensions of object representations. Unpublished research
manual. New Haven : Yale University.
Bowlby, J. (1969). Attachment and loss: Vol. 1: Attachment. New
York: Basic Books.
Dalbem, J. & Dell’Aglio, D. (2006). Teoria do apego: bases
conceituais e desenvolvimento dos modelos internos de
funcionamento. Arquivos Brasileiros de Psicologia, Retrieved
from http://seer.psicologia.ufrj.br/seer/lab19/ojs/viewarticle.
php?id=62.
Diamond, D. & Blatt, S. J. (1994). Internal working models and
the representational world in attachment and psychoanalytic
theories. In M. B. Sperling & W. H. Berman (Eds.), Attachment
in adults: Clinical and developmental perspective (pp.72-97).
New York: The Guilford Press.
Diamond, D., Blatt, S. J., Stayner, D., & Kaslow, N. (1991). Selfother
differentiation of object representations. Unpublished
research manual. New Haven : Yale University.
Fonagy, P., & Target, M. (1997). Attachment and reflective
function: Their role in self-organization. Development and
Psychopathology, 9, 679-700.
Fonagy, P., Rotha, A, & Higgitt, A. (2005). The outcome of
psychodynamic psychotherapy for psychological disorders.
Clinical Neuroscience Research, 4, 367”“377.
Gruen, R. J., & Blatt, S. J. (1990). Change in self- and object
representation during long-term dynamically oriented
treatment. Psychoanalytic Psychology, 7, 399-422.
Jung, S. I., Fillippon, A. P. M., Nunes, M. L. T., & Eizirik, C. L.
(2006). História recente e perspectivas atuais da pesquisa de
resultados em psicoterapia psicanalítica de longa duração.
Revista de Psiquiatria do Rio Grande do Sul, 3, 298-312.
Kernberg, O. F. (2005). Identity diffusion in severe personality
disorders. In S. Strack (Ed.), Handbook of personality and
psychopathology (pp. 39-49). Hoboken, N. J.: John Wiley
& Sons.
Kernberg, O. F. (2003). Psicanálise, psicoterapia psicanalítica e
psicoterapia de apoio: controvérsias contemporâneas. In A.
Green (Ed.), Psicanálise contemporânea: Revista Francesa de
psicanálise (pp.23-49). Rio de Janeiro: Imago Eds.
Kronmuller, K. T., Postelnicu, I., Hartmann, M., Stefini, A., Giser-
Elze, A., Gerhold, M., Hildegard, H. & Winkelmann, K.
(2005). Efficacy of psychodynamic short-term psychotherapy
for children and adolescents with anxiety disorders. Praxis
der Kinderpsychologie und Kinderpsychiatrie, 54, 559-577.
Mahler, M. S. (1993). O nascimento psicológico da criança:
simbiose e individuação. Porto Alegre: Artes Médicas.
Main, M. (1996). Introduction to the special section on attachment
and psychopathology: Overview of the field of attachment.
Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 64, 237-243.
Matos, M. (2004). Acerca da identidade sexual como elemento de
ligação somato-psíquica. Revista Portuguesa de Psicossomática,
6, 7-15.
Novey, S. (1958). The meaning of the concept of mental
representation of objects. The Psychoanalytic Quarterly, 27,
40-366.
Pine, F. (1998). As quatro psicologias da psicanálise e seu lugar no
trabalho clínico. Revista de Psicanálise, 3, 339-359.
Ramires, V. R. R. (2003). Cognição social e teoria do apego:
Possíveis articulações. Psicologia: Reflexão e Crítica. Retrieved
from http://www.scielo.br/pdf/prc/v16n2/ a20v16n2.pdf.
Russell, R. L., & Orlinsky, D. E. (1996). Psychotherapy research
in historical perspective: implications for mental health care
policy. Archives of General Psychiatry, 53, 708-715.
Zaslavsky, J. (2005). Por que publicar a pesquisa qualitativa em
psicoterapia e psicanálise? (Editorial). Revista de Psiquiatria
do Rio Grande do Sul, 3, 238-239.
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Published
2012-04-03
How to Cite
Zanatta, D., & Benetti, S. P. da C. (2012). Mental Representation and Therapeutic Change:: A Contribution from the Psychoanalytical Approach of Object Relations Theory. Psicologia: Teoria E Pesquisa, 28(1), 93–100. Retrieved from https://periodicos.unb.br/index.php/revistaptp/article/view/17557
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