Vicissitudes of identification as observed in character pathology

This paper deals with identification and its vicissitudes as observed in character pathology. A clinical case of character neurosis is presented to demonstrate that it is possible, through transference analysis and especially through countertransference, to observe in character traits the vicissitudes of identification with an object. In this context it was possible to observe how painful affects, pathological narcissism, excessive use of defence mechanisms such as splitting, denial, repression, projective identification, all activated by primitive object relations determine specific unconscious fantasies. They also distort and cause difficulties in identification. It is also pointed out that failures in the external object strengthen the defensive processes which determines the formation of the character trait enclosing the history of primitive object relations.