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Object relations and real life relationships: a cross method assessment.
Jonathan E Handelzalts1, Shimrit Fisher, Rachel Naot
1The Academic College of Tel Aviv Yaffo, Tel-Aviv, Israel; Tel-Aviv University, Tel-Aviv, Israel.
Scandinavian Journal of Psychology
|February 11, 2014
Summary
Women in intimate relationships show lower alienation and better social understanding, according to object relations theory. This study used the Bell Object Relations and Reality Testing Inventory (BORRTI) and Thematic Apperception Test (TAT) to assess 60 women.
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Psychoanalytic Theory
- Relationship Science
Background:
- Object relations theory explores how early relationships shape adult interactions.
- Understanding these patterns is crucial for comprehending adult intimate relationships.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the link between psychoanalytic object relations and intimate relationship status in heterosexual women.
- To identify specific object relations' components predicting relationship involvement.
Main Methods:
- A multi-method approach was employed with 60 heterosexual women.
- Utilized the Bell Object Relations and Reality Testing Inventory (BORRTI) and the Social Cognition & Object Relations Scale- Global Rating Method (SCORS-G) from the Thematic Apperception Test (TAT).
Main Results:
- The BORRTI's Alienation subscale and SCORS-G's social causality understanding explained 34.8% of the variance in relationship status.
- Women in intimate relationships reported lower alienation (BORRTI) and more adaptive social causality understanding (SCORS-G) compared to single women.
Conclusions:
- Object relations, particularly lower alienation and better social causality, are significantly associated with being in an intimate relationship.
- A multi-method assessment approach is valuable for understanding the complex interplay between object relations and real-life relationship behaviors.
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