Projective identification

from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The term projective identification (or projective identification ) originally came from the psychoanalyst Melanie Klein and is now recognized in psychodynamic psychotherapy . It is an unconscious defense mechanism against conflict, in which parts of the self are split off and projected onto another person in a way that this other person accepts the projection and subsequently shows appropriate behavior. As a result, own contents (values, thoughts, feelings) are not only perceived as those of the other person , as in the projection , but actually evoked there. This usually happens without the people involved being aware of this mechanism.

The term was further developed by Otto Kernberg in connection with his work on borderline personality disorder . Borderline patients particularly tend to include the therapist in their psychological conflict constellation. For this reason, borderline patients often generate more violent countertransference feelings with the therapist than patients with other mental disorders. However, projective identification is not limited to borderline personality disorder.

In therapeutic practice, projective identification on the part of the patient and countertransference on the part of the therapist are usually closely linked. Patients unconsciously use tendencies towards projective identification for their own relief, especially with therapists who react strongly to the patient due to intense countertransference feelings. Therapists usually react more intensely with countertransference to patients, which they include in their conflict constellation. Ideally, the therapist is fully aware of the countertransference and can thus be used in the interests of therapeutic success.

See also

literature

  • Claudia Frank / Heinz Weiß (ed.): Projective identification. A key concept in psychoanalytic therapy. Klett-Cotta, Stuttgart 2007, ISBN 978-3-608-94408-2 .
  • Wolfgang Trauth: Concept of Projective Identification: Possibility of describing interpersonal interactions - Part I: Concept development and definition. In: Psychotherapy in psychiatry, psychotherapeutic medicine and clinical psychology. ISSN  1430-9483 , Vol. 8 (2003), H. 2, pp. 326-333 ( PDF; 48 kB ).

Individual evidence

  1. ^ Otto F. Kernberg: Borderline disorders and pathological narcissism. Suhrkamp, ​​Frankfurt am Main 1983, ISBN 3-518-28029-5 , pp. 68-88.