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Clarification of projective identification.

W N Goldstein¹

¹Baltimore-Washington Institute for Psychoanalysis, Georgetown University School of Medicine, Washington, D.C.

The American Journal of Psychiatry

|February 1, 1991

Summary

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This study clarifies projective identification, presenting a three-step model: projection, interaction, and reinternalization. Understanding these steps is key to defining projective identification in clinical and research settings.

Area of Science:

Psychology
Psychoanalysis

Background:

The term "projective identification" has multiple interpretations in psychoanalytic literature.
Existing definitions lack a unified framework, leading to confusion in clinical and theoretical applications.

Observation:

This paper introduces a comprehensive three-step reference model of projective identification, building upon Ogden's work.
The model delineates the process into: 1. Projection of self-parts onto an object, 1a. Blurring of self/object boundaries, 2. Interpersonal pressure to conform to the projection, and 3. Reinternalization after psychological processing.

Findings:

Discrepancies in definitions of projective identification stem from varying conceptualizations of "projection" (Step 1), the necessity of boundary blurring (Step 1a), and the inclusion of all three steps.
The model integrates diverse theoretical perspectives, including those of Ogden, Kernberg, Meissner, Sandler, Malin and Grotstein, Porder, and Zinner et al.

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Implications:

This structured model provides a clearer framework for understanding and applying the concept of projective identification in psychoanalytic theory and practice.
Case examples illustrate the model's utility in diverse clinical and non-clinical contexts, aiding in the analysis of interpersonal dynamics.