[Primary and secondary process thinking in normal probands, neurotic and borderline patients]

In the present paper normals, neurotics and borderline patients were compared with respect to primary and secondary process thinking. The Holtzman Inkblot Technique was used to assess the different modes of functioning. As it was expected, normals had more indicators of the most severe levels of primary process thinking than neurotics, but less than borderline patients. On the other hand it could be demonstrated that in normals the reality testing ability and synthetic functioning were not impaired compared to neurotics. In the contrary, the normals exceeded the neurotics concerning indicators of abstractive abilities. The results are discussed with regard to the hypothesis of a continuum of normal and deviant thinking and with regard to the concept of adaptive regression in the service of the ego.