Construction and Initial Psychometric Validation of the Morana Scale: A Multidimensional Projective Tool Developed...

Background/Objectives: Psychoanalytic theories of destructiveness highlight its deep, unconscious origins tied to primal emotional and motivational mechanisms. Traditional psychiatric models of suicidal risk assessment focus on classic risk factors, limiting diagnostic and intervention approaches. This study examines the neuropsychoanalytic foundations of destructive tendencies, integrating sublimation and evolutionary motivational systems, redefining their role in the destruction process. Methods: A total of 480 AI-generated illustrations were assessed for interpretative accuracy. The final set was used in an online projection task with 204 respondents. Analyses included factorial exploration of the structure of the tool, assessment of psychometric properties (Cronbach α, ROC, AUC), logistic regression and analysis of intergroup differences. Results: Factor analysis identified eight subscales. Six of the eight factors showed thematic resemblance to Panksepp's emotional systems, although this interpretation remains theory-driven and requires empirical validation. The remaining two-pursuit of destruction and its sublimation-extend beyond natural evolutionary mechanisms. Destructiveness was best explained by depression and psychological pain (OR = 1.39, 95% CI [1.26-1.52]), aggression and impulsivity (OR = 1.68, 95% CI [1.36-2.06]), and anxiety and a sense of threat (OR = 1.55, 95% CI [1.27-1.90]). Key predictors of destruction sublimation were curiosity (OR = 3.15, 95% CI [2.43-4.09]), closeness and love (OR = 3.43, 95% CI [2.48-4.76]), and pleasure and fun (OR = 3.08, 95% CI [2.26-4.20]). Analyses showed higher levels of destructiveness in individuals receiving psychological or psychiatric support, those with prior diagnoses, and students compared to employed individuals. Conclusions: Results indicate high reliability (Cronbach's α > 0.87) and discrimination among internal subscale-defined groups (ROC > 0.7), supporting the tool's potential in assessing destructive and sublimation tendencies within a neuropsychoanalytic framework. Future studies will explore its external validity and clinical applications.