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A structural analysis of the obsessional character: a Fairbairnian perspective
1celani1@adelphia.net
American Journal of Psychoanalysis
|May 30, 2007
Summary
This study applies W.R.D. Fairbairn's object relations model to understand obsessional personality. Early parental failures lead to splitting defenses, resulting in repressed inner conflicts that manifest as adult obsessional behaviors through repetition compulsions.
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Psychoanalytic Theory
- Developmental Psychology
Background:
- W.R.D. Fairbairn's object relations model emphasizes attachment.
- Normal development hinges on attachment to 'good objects'.
- Parental failures can disrupt healthy development.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review Fairbairn's object relations model.
- To apply the model to understanding the obsessional personality.
- To explore the developmental origins of obsessional behavior.
Main Methods:
- Theoretical review of object relations theory.
- Application of psychoanalytic concepts to personality.
- Analysis of developmental pathways leading to obsessional traits.
Main Results:
- Parental failures trigger splitting defenses in children.
- Repressed 'part-self' and 'part-object' structures emerge.
- These structures manifest in adulthood as obsessional behavior via repetition compulsions and transference.
Conclusions:
- Obsessional personality develops from early experiences of parental failure.
- Splitting and repression are key defense mechanisms.
- Family dynamics significantly shape inner world configurations leading to adult obsessionality.
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