Object Relation Theory

 Object relations: is a variation of psychoanalytic theory that diverges from Sigmund

Freud’s belief that humans are motivated by sexual and aggressive drives, suggesting instead that
humans are primarily motivated by the need for contact with others—the need to form relationships.

 Object relations theory is centered on our internal relationships with others. According to this
theory, our lifelong relationship skills are strongly rooted in our early attachments with our
parents, especially our mothers. Objects refer to people or physical items that come to
symbolically represent either a person or part of a person. Object relations, then, are our
internalized relationships to those people.
An aspect of the evolution of Freudian psychoanalytic theory, object relations theory developed during
the late 1920s and 1930s and became important in shaping psychoanalytic theory during the 1970s. Karl
Abraham, Margaret Mahler, and Melanie Klein are among those credited with its origination and
refinement.
Object relations theorists stress the importance of early family interactions, primarily the mother-
infant relationship, in personality development. It is believed that infants form mental
representations of themselves in relation to others and that these internal images significantly
influence interpersonal relationships later in life.
The term “object relations” refers to the dynamic internalized relationships between the self and
significant others (objects). An object relation involves mental representations of:

1. The object as perceived by the self

2. The self in relation to the object
3. The relationship between self and object
 For example, an infant might think:
1. "My mother is good because she feeds me when I am hungry" (representation of the
object).
2. "The fact that she takes care of me must mean that I am good" (representation of the self in
relation to the object).
3. "I love my mother" (representation of the relationship).

 External and Internal Objects

An external object is an actual person or thing that someone invests in with emotional energy. A
whole object is a person as she actually exists, with all of the positive and negative traits that she
embodies. If we successfully move through the stages of development, we are able to relate to
others more as a whole and as they truly are.
An internal object is our psychological and emotional impression of a person. It is the
representation that we hold onto when the person is not physically there, and it influences how
we view the person in real life. Consequently, the internal object greatly impacts our relationship
with the person that it represents.

 Object Constancy
Object constancy is the ability to recognize that objects do not change simply because we do not
see them. Infants begin to learn object constancy when their parents leave for a short time and
then return. As children mature, they begin to spend longer periods of time away from their
parents.
Separation anxiety and fear of abandonment are common in people who have not successfully
developed a sense of object constancy.

 MAJOR CONTRIBUTERS

Object relations theory is composed of the diverse and sometimes conflicting ideas of various theorists,
mainly Melanie Klein , Ronald Fairbairn, and Donald Winnicott . Each of their theories place great
emphasis on the mother-infant bond as a key factor in the development of a child’s psychic structure
during the first three years of life.
 Klein: is often credited with founding the object relations approach. From her work
with young children and infants, she concluded that they focused more on developing
relationships, especially with their caregivers, than on controlling sexual urges, as Freud
had proposed. Klein also focused her attention on the first few months of a child’s life,
whereas Freud emphasized the importance of the first few years of life.
 Fairbairn: agreed with Klein when he posited that humans are object-seeking
beings, not pleasure-seeking beings. He viewed development as a gradual process during
which individuals evolve from a state of complete, infantile dependence on the caregiver
toward a state of interdependency, in which they still depend on others but are also
capable of being relied upon.
 Winnicott: stressed the importance of raising children in an environment where
they are encouraged to develop a sense of independence but know that their caregiver
will protect them from danger. He suggested that if the caregiver does not attend to the
needs and potential of the child, the child may be led to develop a false self. The true self
emerges when all aspects of the child are acknowledged and accepted.

 GOALS:
 Object relations therapy focuses on helping individuals identify and address deficits in their
interpersonal functioning and explore ways that relationships can be improved.
 A therapist can help people in therapy understand how childhood object relations impact current
emotions, motivations, and relationships and contribute to any problems being faced.
  Aspects of the self that were split and repressed can be brought into awareness during therapy,
and individuals can address these aspects of themselves in order to experience a more authentic
existence.
 A therapist can also help a person explore ways to integrate the "good" and "bad" aspects of
internal objects so that the person becomes able to see others more realistically.
 Therapy can often help a person to experience less internal conflict and become able to relate to
others more fully.

 OBJECT RELATIONS TECHNIQUES

 Object relations theory is sometimes used in the treatment of phobias

 Many of the techniques used in object relations therapy are similar to those employed
in psychoanalytic and other psychodynamic therapies . The primary distinction lies in the
therapist's way of thinking about what is happening in the therapeutic exchange. For example, in
classical psychoanalysis, transference tends to be carefully analyzed, as it is thought to provide
valuable information about the person in therapy.

 In the initial stage of object relations therapy, the therapist generally attempts to understand,
through empathic listening and acceptance, the inner world, family background , fears, hopes,
and needs of the person in therapy. Once a level of mutual trust has been developed, the
therapist may guide the person in therapy into areas that may be more sensitive or guarded, with
the purpose of promoting greater self-awareness and understanding.
 During therapy, the behaviors of the person in therapy may help the therapist understand how the
person is experienced and understood by others in that person’s environment. the ability to form
healthy object relations, which can be transferred to relationships outside of the counseling
environment.
 The success of object relations therapy is largely dependent on the nature of the therapeutic
relationship. In the absence of a secure, trusting relationship, people in therapy are not likely to
risk abandoning their internal objects or attachments, even if these relationships are unhealthy.
 Therefore, it may be necessary for object relations therapists to first develop an empathic,
trusting relationship with a person in therapy and to create an environment in which an
individual feels safe and understood.

 .klein’s view:
Klein’s (1921) theory of the unconscious focused on the relationship between the
mother–infant rather than the father–infant one, and inspired the central
concepts of the Object Relations School within psychoanalysis. Klein stressed the
importance of the first 4 or 6 months after birth.
In the context of object relations theory, the term “objects” refers not to
inanimate entities but to significant others with whom an individual relates,
usually one’s mother, father, or primary caregiver.
In some cases, the term object may also be used to refer to a part of a person,
such as a mother’s breast, or to the mental representations of significant others.

 The Mom Factor

According to the object relations theory, the way mothers and infants interact plays a crucial role
in infant growth and development. If care is adequate or "good enough," children are able to
develop their true selves, which is the part of the baby that is creative and spontaneous.

If the care is inadequate, children create a false self or one that is playing to the needs of others
and is based on compliance with others' expectations, instead of the child's authentic self. Over
time, acceptable parental care that will create the true self includes the following stages:

 Father, mother, and infant, all three living together: The dynamics and
interactions that the child experiences in relationship to the mother and father influence
the child's experience and expectations of what family relationships will be like later in
life.
 Holding: Actual physical affection and holding including cuddling, holding hands, or
lap sitting is familiar and regular behavior in satisfactory parental care. These later
become internalized as a sense of psychological "holding."
 Mother and infant living together: -Experiencing the daily routine of both
psychological and physical care such as eating, grooming, and interacting through
mundane tasks are important for the baby's proper development.

Object relations theory holds that a problem with any of these important experiences can cause
issues in developing healthy relationships later in life.