Obsessions And Compulsions: A Lifespan Perspective.

Freud traced the origin of the obsessional neurosis, which he considered a model condition for psychoanalytic inquiry, to a fixation in the anal phase of psychosexual development. Although many analysts have raised doubts about his account, and while the Sullivanian and Lacanian traditions have proposed alternatives, no approach has accounted for what Freud observed as the dizzying variety of obsessive presentations, which seem to defy a singular explanation. The broader research community has moved on, meanwhile, to genetic, neurological, and cognitive-behavioral explanations of what we now call obsessive-compulsive disorder. I argue that we can best account for the variety of obsessive presentations and meaningfully contribute to this interdisciplinary dialogue by framing obsessive-compulsive symptoms as the result of a disorder of volition, an exaggerated sense of willpower, not tied to any one developmental phase or bodily zone. Such a disorder evolves through the lifespan processes of introjection, identification, and repudiation in relation to an anxious/critical parent or an unpredictable environment. I trace these processes through three major developmental milestones. The implication is that, by looking in depth at how the obsessive person internalizes relationships, psychoanalysis can make a unique contribution to a conversation beyond its own borders.

The Leader's Hypnotic Influence and the Creation of Alternate Reality.

Psychoanalysis has traditionally been an insular practice by analysts in their offices sequestered from any outside intrusion. However, in recent years a demand for psychoanalytic perspectives on the underlying dynamics of political figures and social phenomena has arisen. Media representatives have increasingly approached psychoanalysts for insight into such conditions as narcissistic personality disorder, compulsive lying, delusional thinking, when attempting to understand the irrational machinations of authoritarian leaders. Here, we will not be investigating the individual psyche, but rather the relationship between psyche and the culture of the populace (i.e., the polis). This paper considers the complex underlying dynamics of leaders' hypnotic influence and the creation of an alternate reality.

Not the Master of Your Volitional Mind? The Roles of the Right Medial Prefrontal Cortex and Personality Traits in Unconscious Introjections Versus Self-Chosen Goals.

Humans are unconditionally confronted with social expectations and norms, up to a degree that they, or some of them, have a hard time recognizing what they actually want. This renders them susceptible for introjection, that is, to unwittingly or "unconsciously" mistake social expectations for self-chosen goals. Such introjections compromise an individual's autonomy and mental health and have been shown to be more prevalent in individuals with rumination tendencies and low emotional self-awareness. In this brain imaging study, we draw on a source memory task and found that introjections, as indicated by imposed tasks that are falsely recognized as self-chosen, involved the bilateral medial prefrontal cortex (MPFC) and the dorsal anterior cingulate cortex (ACC). Notably, reduced right MPFC activation within this condition correlated with trait scores of ruminations and reduced emotional self-awareness, but also introversion. Moreover, correct recognition of tasks as self-chosen involved the right MPFC. Accordingly, the right MPFC may play a role in supporting the maintenance of psychological autonomy and counteract introjection, which individuals with certain personality traits seem to be prone to. This research has significant implications for the study of mechanisms underlying autonomous motivation, goal and norm internalization, decision-making, persuasion, education, and clinical conditions such as depression and burnout.

Maternal Erotic Transferences and the Work of the Abject.

Kristeva's profound and comprehensive understanding of maternal eroticism allows us to examine the ways in which a negative maternal transference, structured through the work of the abject, can be viewed as a maternal erotic transference in its devitalizing form. Through the use of a clinical case, the revitalizing experiences of maternal eroticism within analytic process facilitate the emergence of a maternal erotic transference in its vitalizing form. The lack of erotic dimensions in maternal transferences, it is argued, may be viewed as present absences, and the development of a positive maternal erotic transference as an achievement. André Green's visual-spatial metaphor of foreclosed space is extended as an imploding force wherein abject signifiers do their devitalizing work. In contrast, the usable space of a healthy psychoanalytic process is viewed as the envelope around which abject signifiers emerge, becoming available for psychoanalytic work. A transformation related to the author's experiences with her dying mother is shown to have expanded her containing capacities, including new areas of patience and receptivity. These dynamics are placed within the context of a multiverse conception of maternal eroticism, including the analyst's disciplined receptivity, viewed as an eternal signifier of the maternal.

Ferenczi e sua técnica: um novo olhar sobre a transferência / Ferenczi and his technique: a fresh look on transference

A transferência é um processo fundamental para a Psicanálise. Entre os principais autores que investigaram o fenômeno transferencial, baseados em um referencial psicanalítico, o psicanalista húngaro Sándor Ferenczi se destaca. A importância de sua contribuição, contudo, ainda permanece pouco reconhecida na literatura psicanalítica. Esse autor demonstrou que o tratamento padrão psicanalítico, muitas vezes, não conseguia produzir os efeitos esperados e que algumas inovações técnicas eram necessárias. O presente artigo tem como objetivo analisar o conceito de transferência nos textos do referido autor, bem como as relações entre sua visão da transferência e as mudanças na técnica por ele introduzidas. Em um primeiro momento, apresentamos e discutimos o conceito de transferência e sua relação com o conceito de introjeção, em seguida, voltamo-nos para as modificações técnicas ferenczianas, buscando apontar as implicações destas para sua concepção do fenômeno transferencial.

Transference is a fundamental process for Psychoanalysis. Among the main authors who investigated transferential phenomenon, based on a psychoanalytic viewpoint, the Hungarian psychoanalyst Sándor Ferenczi stands out. The importance of his contribution, however, still remains unappreciated in psychoanalytic literature. This author demonstrated that standard psychoanalytic treatment often failed to produce the expected effects and that some technical innovation were necessary. This article aims to analyze the concept of transference in the texts of this author, as well as the relationship between his views on transference and the changes in technique introduced by him. At first, we present and discuss the concept of transference and its relationship with the concept of introjection, and then we turn to Ferenczian technical modifications, seeking to point out the implications of these for his conception of the transferential phenomenon.

Tocando a vida com os dedos: reciprocidade na clínica de adolescentes / Touching life with our fingers: reciprocity in the clinic with adolescents / Tocando la vida con los dedos: reciprocidad en la clínica de adolescentes / Toucher la vie avec les doigts: réciprocité dans la clinique des adolescents

No artigo, a autora trata a reciprocidade como a reverberação entre analista e analisando, com foco no trabalho psicanalítico com adolescentes. Entende que é na adolescência que as confusões se ativam mais intensamente. A necessidade de destituir a autoridade dos pais externos confunde-se com a queda dos pais internos, o que deflagra a necessidade de identificação introjetiva -processo que, por sua vez, aparece no apego a figuras sociais, grupos musicais, esportivos e culturais. As ideias aqui desenvolvidas partem do conceito de reciprocidade estética (Meltzer, 1992; 1995), culminando em ampliações sobre os processos de identificação e introjeção, que se desenrolam exatamente nessa troca recíproca.

In this article, the author treats reciprocity as the reverberation between analyst and patient, focusing on psychoanalytic work with adolescents. She understands that it is in adolescence that confusions are most intensely activated. The need to remove the authority of external parents is confused with the fall of internal parents, which triggers the need for introjective identification - a process that, in turn, appears in the attachment to social figures, such as musicians, sportspeople and cultural groups. The ideas developed here are based on the concept of aesthetic reciprocity (Meltzer, 1992; 1995), culminating in expansions on the processes of identification and introjection, which take place exactly in this reciprocal exchange.

En el presente artículo, la autora trata la reciprocidad como la reverberación entre analista y analizando, centrándose en el trabajo psicoanalítico con adolescentes. Ella entiende que es en la adolescencia que las confusiones se activan más intensamente. La necesidad de eliminar la autoridad de los padres externos se confunde con la caída de los padres internos, lo que desencadena la necesidad de una identificación introyectiva, un proceso que, a su vez, aparece en el apego a figuras sociales, grupos musicales, deportivos y culturales. Las ideas desarrolladas aquí parten del concepto de reciprocidad estética (Meltzer, 1992; 1995), que culmina en expansiones en los procesos de identificación e introyección, que tienen lugar exactamente en este intercambio recíproco.

Dans cet article, l'auteur traite la réciprocité comme la réverbération entre l'analyste et l'analysant, en se concentrant sur le travail psychanalytique avec les adolescents. Elle comprend que c'est à l'adolescence que les confusions sont le plus intensément activées. La nécessité de retirer l'autorité des parents externes est confondue avec la chute des parents internes, ce qui déclenche la nécessité d'une identification introjective - un processus qui, à son tour, apparaît comme attaché aux figures sociales, aux groupes musicaux, sportifs et culturels. Les idées développées ici partent du concept de réciprocité esthétique (Meltzer, 1992; 1995), aboutissant à des développements sur les processus d'identification et d'introjection, qui se déroulent exactement dans cet échange réciproque.

A crise dos sentidos: uma perspectiva ferencziana / The crisis of the senses: a Ferenczian perspective / La crise des sens: une perspective ferenczienne

A clínica contemporânea tem se apresentado como um campo no qual se enunciam inúmeros desafios. Nesse panorama nos deparamos com sintomas que parecem desatrelados -ou frouxamente vinculados - de uma representação capaz de localizá-los fantasmaticamente ou no próprio tecido desejante daquele sujeito em particular. Tal ponto nos leva a pensar nesses sintomas como não referidos a um sentido passível de interpretação. A fim de promover um estudo sobre essa problemática, buscaremos na obra de Sandor Ferenczi formas de entender a escassez de sentido à qual o aparelho psíquico também pode estar sujeito. Partiremos assim de um estudo sobre a problemática do trauma, na qual se daria uma impossibilidade de introjeção do ocorrido para, então, discutirmos o que chamamos de "crise dos sentidos".

The clinic of the contemporaneity has been presented as a field in which innumerable challenges are presented. In this panorama we are faced with symptoms that looks like unattached - or loosely bound - from a representation capable of locating it phantasmatically or in the very desire tissue of that particular subject. Such a point leads us to think of these symptoms as not referred to a meaningable sense. In order to shed light on this problem, we will seek in Sandor Ferenczi's work ways of understanding the scarcity of meaning to which the psychic apparatus may also be subject. We will start our studies in the trauma's problem, in which it would be impossible the introjection process, and then we will discuss what we have call the "crisis of the senses".

La clinique contemporaine a été présentée comme un domaine dans lequel d'innombrables défis sont présentés. Dans ce panorama, nous sommes confrontés à des symptômes qui semblent indépendants - ou vaguement liés - à une représentation capable de les localiser de façon fantasmatique ou dans le tissu même du désir de ce sujet particulier. Tel point nous amène à penser que ces symptômes ne sont pas référés à un sens qui peut être interprété. Afin de promouvoir une étude sur ce problème, nous chercherons dans le travail de Sandor Ferenczi les moyens de comprendre la pénurie de sens à laquelle l'appareil psychique peut aussi être soumis. Nous partirons donc d'une étude sur le problème du traumatisme, dans lequel il serait impossible d'introjecter ce qui s'est passé, puis de discuter de ce que nous appelons la "crise des sens".

O conceito de introjeção e sua evolução na teoria de Ferenczi / The concept of introjection and its evolution in Ferenczi's theory / El concepto de introyección y su evolución en la teoría de Ferenczi

Para Ferenczi, em grande sintonia com o pensamento de Freud, a introjeção foi inicialmente um conceito fundamental no desenvolvimento psíquico da criança e indispensável para diferenciar o funcionamento neurótico de outras patologias. Além disso era uma noção essencial para teorizar a dinâmica transferencial na relação analítica. No entanto, ao final de sua obra, ao reavaliar a importância do trauma, da confusão de línguas entre o adulto e a criança e entre o analista e o paciente, ao conceitualizar as noções de identificação com o agressor e de introjeção do sentimento de culpa nas síndromes pós-traumáticas e, principalmente, ao sublinhar a importância decisiva que adquire a desmentida e a cisão do Ego na dinâmica do trauma, Ferenczi modifica e enriquece enormemente sua primeira contribuição. Justamente sua última contribuição à psicanálise, refletida nas derradeiras notas do Diário clínico, é um neologismo interessante que Ferenczi define como intropressão, consistindo na tentativa de conjugar a introjeção com os efeitos violentos suscitados na mente da criança em decorrência da irrupção inesperada do Superego parental e dos adultos em geral. Esta dinâmica, além disso, lamentavelmente não deixa de estar presente em algumas modalidades patológicas da relação analítica. Esta última concepção de Ferenczi foi continuada e completada de maneira brilhante por Abraham e Torok em seu conceito do crime da introjeção, a que se dedica a última parte do presente trabalho (AU)

To Ferenczi, whose thinking was largely in line with that of Freud, introjection was initially a fundamental concept in the psychic development of the child and was necessary to distinguish the neurotic functioning from other pathologies. Furthermore, introjection was a crucial notion for the theorization of the transference dynamics in the analytic relationship. However, in his final works, Ferenczi modified and expanded his first contribution, since he reassessed the importance of trauma and the confusion of tongues between the adult and the child and between the analyst and the patient; he conceptualized the notions of identification with the aggressor and of introjection of the guilt feeling in posttraumatic disorders and also underlined the decisive importance that disavowal and ego-splitting have in the dynamics of trauma. In his last contribution to psychoanalysis, condensed in the notes of his Clinical Diary, Ferenczi presented indeed an interesting neologism that he defined intropression, consisting in the attempt to combine introjection with the violent effects arisen in the child's mind after the unexpected irruption of the parental Superego and of adults in general. That dynamics is unfortunately present in some pathological modalities of the analytic relationship. The latter notion introduced by Ferenczi was brilliantly developed and completed by Abraham and Torok in their concept of crime of introjection to which the last part of this paper is dedicated

Para Ferenczi, muy en sintonía con el pensamiento de Freud, la introyección fue inicialmente un concepto fundamental en el desarrollo psíquico del niño e indispensable para diferenciar el funcionamiento neurótico de otras patologías. Además resultaba una noción esencial para teorizar la dinámica transferencial en la relación analítica. Sin embargo, al final de su obra, al revalorizar la importancia del trauma, de la confusión de lenguas entre el adulto y el niño y entre el analista y el paciente, al conceptualizar las nociones de identificación con el agresor y de introyección del sentimiento de culpa en los síndromes post-traumáticos y sobre todo al subrayar la importancia decisiva que adquiere el desmentido y la escisión del yo en la dinámica del trauma, Ferenczi modifica y enriquece enormemente su primera aportación. Precisamente, su última contribución al psicoanálisis, reflejada en las postreras notas del Diario clínico es un neologismo interesante que Ferenczi define como intropresión y que era el intento de conjugar la introyección con los efectos violentos que suscita en la irrupción inesperada del super yo parental y de los adultos en general en la mente del niño. Esta dinámica además, no deja de estar presente lamentablemente en algunas modalidades patológicas de la relación analítica. Esta última concepción de Ferenczi fue continuada y completada brillantemente por Abraham y Torok en su concepto del crimen de la introyección, al que se dedica la última parte del presente trabajo

Mente fascista / Fascist mind / Mente fascista / L'esprit fasciste

O artigo discute o estado de mente fascista a partir da contribuição de Christopher Bollas. Dialoga também com filósofos que se interessaram pelo tema: Hannah Arendt e Giorgio Agamben. A mente fascista não é parlamentar (com vários pontos de vista em confronto, em diálogo), mas imperial: com um único ponto de vista fixo. Torna-se inumana. Para chegar a isso os fascistas desencadeiam uma guerra permanente primeiro contra si - por meio de múltiplos assassinatos contra as partes de seu self amoroso, reparador, compassivo - e depois contra os outros, eleitos para esse fim. Para eliminar toda a oposição interna, a mente fascista conta com a ideologia, crença, convicção - antídotos da dúvida, da hesitação -, convergindo para um campo de certezas. Projeções de partes do seu self serão lançadas para o outro: partes más, preconceituosas, desdenhadoras. Também se valem da introjeção extrativa, como defesa letal: roubando do outro - o inimigo eleito - partes de seu self.

The article discusses the state of the fascist mind, taking into account Christopher Bollas' contribution. It also establishes a fruitful dialogue with other philosophers who are interested in the subject: Hannah Arendt and Giorgio Agamben. The fascist mind is not parliamentary (with several conflicting points of view, in dialogue) but imperial: with a single fixed viewpoint. It becomes inhuman. In order to do that, fascists unleash an ongoing war, first against themselves - through multiple murderous actions against the parts of their loving, repairing, compassionate self - and, then, against the "others" chosen for that end. To eliminate all internal opposition, the fascist mind relies on ideology, belief, conviction - antidotes to doubt, hesitation - converging to a field of certainties. Projections of parts of her self will be thrown at the other: evil, biased, scornful parts. They also use extractive introjection, as a lethal defense: stealing from the other - the elect enemy - parts of their selves.

El artículo discute el estado de la mente fascista a partir de la contribución de Christopher Bollas. Dialoga también con otros filósofos que se interesaron por el tema: Hannah Arendt y Giorgio Agamben. La mente fascista no es parlamentaria (con varios puntos de vista en confrontación, en diálogo) pero si imperial: con un único punto de vista fijo. Se convierte en inhumana. Para llegar a eso los fascistas desencadenan una guerra permanente primero contra sí mismos - a través de múltiples asesinatos contra las partes de su propio self amoroso, reparador, compasivo - y luego contra los otros, elegidos para ese fin. Para eliminar toda la oposición interna, la mente fascista cuenta con la ideología, creencia, convicción - antídotos de la duda, de la vacilación - convergiendo hacia un campo de certezas. Las proyecciones de partes de su self serán lanzadas para el otro: partes malas, preconcebidas, despreciadoras. Se valen también de la introyección extractiva, como defensa letal: robando del otro - el enemigo elegido - partes de su self.

L'article discute l'état d'esprit fasciste à partir de la contribution de Christopher Bollas. Il dialogue également avec d'autres philosophes qui s'intéressent à cette thématique: Hannah Arendt et Giorgio Agamben. L'esprit fasciste n'est pas parlementaire (avec plusieurs points de vue en confrontation, en dialogue), mais impérial (avec un seul point de vue fixe). Il devient ainsi inhumain. Pour y arriver, les fascistes développent une guerre permanente, d'abord contre eux-mêmes - par des multiples assassinats contre de parts de leur self amoureux, réparateur, compatissant - et puis contre les autres, élus pour cette fin. Pour supprimer toute opposition interne, l'esprit fasciste compte sur l'idéologie, la croyance, la conviction - antidotes du doute, de l'hésitation - de façon à converger vers un champ de certitudes. Projections de parts de son self seront lancées vers l'autre: des parts méchantes, pleines de préjugés, méprisantes. Il s'utilise également de l'introjection extractive, en tant que défense létale: il vole de l'autre - l'ennemi élu - des parts de son self.

Ethnic Identity in Diverse Schools: Preadolescents' Private Regard and Introjection in relation to Classroom Norms and Composition.

Ethnic identity plays a key role in the normative development of children and adolescents, and efforts to provide a positive and safe environment for ethnic identity benefit from an understanding of its context-dependency. Following the social identity perspective, we add to research on ethnic identity by considering the role of the classroom context and by conceptualizing ethnic identity in terms of two key dimensions. Specifically, the present study aims to investigate the role of the classroom context for ethnic private regard (positive ethnic self-feelings) and for the under-researched construct of ethnic introjection (subjective self-group merging). These two dimensions of ethnic identity were examined in 51 Dutch school classes among grade 4-6 students (N= 573; Mage = 10.77, SD = 1.02; 54% girls) of Dutch, Turkish and Moroccan ethnic background. We focused on teachers' multicultural norms and classmates' evaluation of the ethnic in-group (peer group norms) in combination with the ethnic class composition. It was found that ethnic introjection was empirically distinct from ethnic private regard, and that the former dimension depended on the classroom context more than the latter. Multicultural teacher norms affected minority preadolescents' private regard positively, but only when the share of in-group classmates was low. Positive peer group norms of in-group classmates strengthened students' introjection, while those of out-group classmates lowered it. The findings indicate that ethnic identity research will be enhanced by more fully considering the conceptual and contextual implications of the social identity perspective.

The unsafe haven: Eating disorders as attachment relationships.

OBJECTIVES: Some patients with eating disorders (EDs) seem to experience their illness as an entity, a symbolic other to whom they relate, and which may influence both symptom levels and self-image. Extending previous research, this study investigated whether the patient-ED relationship has attachment qualities. DESIGN: Structural Analysis of Social Behaviour was used to operationalize the patient-ED relationship, and the Attachment Style Questionnaire was used to measure attachment. METHOD: We examined ED patients' (N = 148) relationship with their ED, attachment behaviour, symptoms, and self-image. Attachment dimensions of Confidence, Anxious/ambivalence, and Avoidance were found to be significantly correlated with aspects of the patient-ED relationship. Introjection (i.e., whether ED actions were incorporated into patients' self-image) was investigated by examining the match between self-image profiles and the actions of patients' EDs. A double mediation model was tested in which ED control/emancipation and patients' Self-blame mediated the effect of attachment security on ED symptoms. RESULTS: Attachment insecurity was associated with greater ED control and patient submission. In 28.5% of patients, there was a high degree of correlation between self-image and ED action profile. Data supported the mediation model. CONCLUSIONS: Attachment processes appear to be associated with the manner in which ED patients relate to their disorder, at least in some cases. Attempts to maintain psychological proximity to the ED as an introjected attachment figure may help to explain treatment resistance and ambivalence about change. This perspective may be useful in treatment. PRACTITIONER POINTS: Attachment behaviours are associated with the patient-ED relationship, in which attachment insecurity is correlated with greater eating disorder control and patient submission. Some patients seem to incorporate the actions of the ED in their self-image, suggesting the presence of introjection. The patient-ED relationship may help explain patients' anxiety and ambivalence about change, seen from an attachment perspective. In treatment, it may be important to explore alternative safe havens and secure bases to the ED, such as interpersonal relationships and activities.

La doble faz del superyó / La double face du surmoi / The dual face of the superego

A través de este artículo se recorre el doble origen y el doble rostro de la instancia superyoica que, si bien es la heredera del complejo de Edipo y, como tal, reguladora del deseo e instauradora de la ética, también se sumerge en el ello e interviene en diversos grados y modos en las diferentes patologías psíquicas. Desde esta perspectiva, el pensamiento clínico y metapsicológico que sustenta este trabajo se basa en la consideración del superyó como una instancia del borde que hunde sus raíces en la prehistoria del complejo de Edipo, en su doble vertiente paterna y materna, y en el distinto peso de lo traumático en la historia del sujeto. Tomando este vértice la clínica del superyó es concebida como como una clínica del borde sujeta al concepto de analizabilidad, altamente singular, cuya tarea esencial es interrogar/cuestionar los imperativos del superyó para poder fundamentar la moral a través de la transformación del imperativo superyoico en un postulado ético como efecto de la instauración de un superyó protector. (AU)

A travers cet article nous parcourons la double origine et la double face de l’instance surmoïque qui, bien qu’elle soit l’héritière du complexe d’Œdipe et, en tant que telle, régulatrice du désir et instauratrice de l’éthique, plonge aussi dans le ça et intervient dans des degrés et modes divers dans les différentes pathologies psychiques. Partant de cette perspective, la pensée clinique et métapsychologique qui sous-tend ce travail se base sur la considération du surmoi comme une instance du bord qui enfonce ses racines dans la préhistoire du complexe d’Œdipe, dans son double versant maternel et paternel ainsi que le différent poids du traumatique dans l’histoire du sujet. Partant de ce vertex la clinique du surmoi est conçue comme une clinique du bord soumise au concept d’analysabilité, largement singulier, dont la tâche essentielle est d’interroger/questionner les impératifs du surmoi pour pouvoir justifier la morale à travers la transformation de l’impératif surmoïque dans un postulat éthique comme effet de l’instauration d’un surmoi protecteur. (AU)

This article traces the dual origin and the dual face of the superego agency. Although heir to the Oedipus complex, regulator of desire and instigator of ethics, it is also submerged within the id and intercedes in varying degrees and forms in the different mental pathologies. From this perspective, the clinical and metapsychological thought underpinning this article is based on the conception of the superego as a borderline instance rooted in the prehistory of the Oedipus complex, in its dual paternal and maternal dimension, and in the distinct weight of trauma in the subject’s history. From this vertex, the clinical approach to the superego is conceived as a borderline approach, subject to the concept of analysability, highly particular, whose essential task is to question the imperatives of the superego as the basis of morality by transforming the superego imperative into an ethical postulate, resulting from the establishment of a protective superego. (AU)

A perspectiva simbólica do espectro obsessivo-compulsivo: O "projeto" de Freud revisitado pelo arquétipo de Jung / The symbolic perspective of the obsessive-compulsive spectrum Freud: "Project" revisited by Jung's archetype / La perspectiva simbólica del espectro obsesivo-compulsivo: El "proyecto" de Freud revisitado por el arquetipo de Jung

O autor aborda o espectro obsessivo-compulsivo através da dimensão simbólica e arquetípica enraizada em três vertentes: neurológica, psicofarmacológica, e psicodinâmica. Associa os dinamismos arquétipos matriarcal, patriarcal, de alteridade e de totalidade com estruturas e funções do sistema nervoso. A seguir, o autor retoma a hipótese de Katz (1991), segundo a qual o TOC apresenta um distúrbio do processo de repressão (Freud) possivelmente por uma disfunção neuroquímica, envolvendo neurotransmissores, principalmente a serotonina. A interpretação arquetípica desta disfunção é a debilitação da função de delimitação, de organização e de contenção do Arquétipo Patriarcal, que compromete a eficácia de todo o quadro defensivo e configura sua exuberância sintomática projetiva e ritualizadora num esforço para suprir a deficiência. O autor tece considerações sobre a ineficiência da psicoterapia dinâmica exclusivamente verbal no TOC e a relativa eficiência da Terapia Comportamental Cognitiva e argumenta que a associação destas duas teorias através do conceito de técnicas expressivas poderá contribuir com maior eficiência no tratamento não só do TOC, como das fobias e da síndrome do pânico, desde que seja exercido dentro de um enfoque simbólico e arquétipo que inclua a relação terapêutica no nível transferencial criativo e defensivo. ■

The author approaches the obsessive-compulsive spectrum through the symbolic archetypal dimension rooted in three perspectives: neurological, psycho-pharmacological and psychodynamic. He associates matriarchal, patriarchal, alterity and totality archetypes with structures and functions of the nervous system. The author considers the hypothesis developed by Katz (1991) according to which OCD presents a disturbance of repression due to a neurotransmitter disfunction, mainly of serotonin. From an archetypal perspective, this neuro-chemical disfunction develops a deficiency of the delimiting, organizing and contention functions of the Patriarchal Archetype. The intensification of repression, projection and ritualization in OCD is a neurological and psychological reaction to deal with this deficiency. The author mentions his experience according to which exclusively verbal psychodynamic psychotherapy is largely inefficient in OCD, phobias and panic syndrome. He argues that the relative efficiency of Cognitive Behavior Therapy can be improved if exposure and avoidance techniques are employed as expressive techniques considering the transference relationship and the defenses present within an overall symbolic and archetypal theory of personality development. ■

El autor aborda el espectro obsesivo-compulsivo a través de la dimensión simbólica y arquetípica enraizada en tres vertientes: neurológica, psicofarmacológica, y psicodinámica. Asocia los dinamismos arquetipos matriarcal, patriarcal, de alteridad y de totalidad con estructuras y funciones del sistema nervioso. A continuación el autor retoma la hipótesis de Katz (1991), según la cual el TOC presenta un disturbio del proceso de represión (Freud) posiblemente por una disfunción neuroquímica, involucrando neurotransmisores, principalmente la serotonina. La interpretación arquetípica de esta disfunción es la debilitación de la función de delimitación, de organización y de contención del Arquetipo Patriarcal, que compromete la eficacia de todo el cuadro defensivo y configura su exuberancia sintomática proyectiva y ritualizadora en un esfuerzo por suplir la discapacidad. El autor hace consideraciones sobre la ineficiencia de la psicoterapia dinámica exclusivamente verbal en el TOC y la relativa eficiencia de la Terapia Comportamental Cognitiva y argumenta que la asociación de estas dos teorías a través del concepto de técnicas expresivas podrá contribuir con mayor eficiencia en el tratamiento no sólo del TOC, fobias y del síndrome del pánico, siempre que sea ejercido dentro de un enfoque simbólico y arquetipo que incluya la relación terapéutica en el nivel transferencial creativo y defensivo. ■

Terrified by suffering, tormented by pain.

Ferenczi's understanding of the primitive defenses required to cope with trauma, such as introjection, identification with the aggressor, atomization and reckoning, supports the author's clinical observations of patients who introject a pain mother. Introjecting a pain mother assures that the terrorism of the original external event of a suffering mother keeps the internal suffering going, resulting in being tormented by pain. Such an introjection creates technical difficulties for the analyst. A clinical case is presented to demonstrate.

Mutuality.

Ferenczi's striving for mutuality, a call which Freud didn't take up, let him explore this concept with his analysands. He thus became the originator of mutual analysis, although with caveats, and of the concept of introjection, another important Ferenczian notion. The analyst's attitude of knowing the 'objective' and independent Truth is changing its orientation into that of a co-construction in the analytic work; here the analyst and the analysand build a third internal world, which they share and which remains their own. Clinical vignettes illustrate the implications of these views.

From pilot fish to analyst: Finding a path between symbiotic and autistic defences.

This paper presents the clinical case of a patient with autistic features. One of the main difficulties in his treatment was the particular rapid rhythm of his projections, introjections and re-projections that constrained the analyst's capacity for reverie and hindered the use of effective projective identification processes. These alternating defensive constellations lead either to an expelling autistic barrier or to an engulfing symbiotic fusion. Their combination can be seen as the expression of a defence against an unintegrated and undifferentiated early experience of self that was in this way kept at bay to prevent it from invading his whole personality. Maintaining the symbiotic link, in which I kept included by staying partially fused to what was being projected and using my analytic function in a reduced way, helped to relate to what was in the patient's inside. Leaving this symbiotic link let my interpretations appear to 'force' their way through the autistic barrier. Yet as the process developed they allowed to show the patient how he ejected me and what was happening in his inside, behind his autistic barrier. So I found myself on the one hand accepting the symbiotic immobilization and on the other hand interpreting in a way that seemed forced to the patient, because it implied a breaking of the symbiotic position. The inordinate speed of projections and introjections could thus be interrupted, creating a space for awareness, reflection and transformation, and allowed the emergence of a connection between the patient's inside and outside. In the course of treatment I realized that this kind of dual defence system has been described by the late Argentinian analyst José Bleger. He assumes the existence of an early "agglutinated nucleus" that is held together by a psychic structure he calls the "glischro-caric" position, in which projective identification cannot take place because there is no self/object differentiation. I have considered the rapid and fugitive use of projection and re-introjection I met in my patient to be a manifestation of the dual defence system Bleger describes. Although he does not specifically mention this particular vicissitude of operative defences he does give hints about a rhythm in the patients' projections and introjections.

Introjective identification: the analytic work of evocation.

This paper focuses on a particular counter-transference process-introjective identification and the evocation it enables. Introjective identification enables evocation because it engages the analyst's radical openness to the experience of the patient at the most primordial level. The accumulated wisdom of Ferenczi and those who followed him is used to discuss the role of introjective identification in the treatment of patients with non-neurotic structures.

The Pursuit of Self-Esteem and Its Motivational Implications.

Although recent studies have found contingent self-esteem (CSE) to be negatively related to individuals' well-being, research concerning its implications for motivation and engagement is scarce. In two studies, we investigated the relation between CSE, motivation, and engagement in achievement-related situations. A first cross-sectional study among second year high school students (N = 641; 54.1% female) confirmed the hypothesized motivational ambiguity associated with academic CSE. Beyond the contribution of academic self-esteem, academic CSE was positively related to behavioral and emotional engagement, but also to emotional disaffection and test anxiety. These associations could partially be explained by motivational quality, as CSE was also positively related to both autonomous and controlled types of motivation. In a second experimental study among university students (N = 72; 70.8% female), who participated in a tangram puzzle task under varying feedback circumstances, global CSE related to more tension, while predicting less behavioral task perseverance. These effects were not moderated by the type of feedback provided (i.e., positive vs. negative). Theoretical and practical implications of these results are discussed.

Trauma e pulsão de morte em Ferenczi / Trauma and death drive in Ferenczi

Pretende-se buscar na obra de Ferenczi (textos e notas publicadas em seu Diário) os indícios de seu distanciamento das orientações de Freud em relação à pulsão de morte. Com isso esperamos mostrar que com Ferenczi se inaugura uma clínica centrada nas relações precoces do Eu com seus objetos primários, abrindo caminho para repensar o papel do objeto na constituição psíquica. Para tanto, abordaremos seu conceito de introjeção, bem como suas reflexões acerca do trauma desestruturante.

Trauma and death drive in Ferenczi. In this article we intend to search in the work of Ferenczi (texts and notes published in his Journal) the evidence of his detachment from Freud's guidelines regarding the death drive. Thus we hope to show that with Ferenczi a clinic focused on the early relationships of the self with its primary objects is unveiled, paving the way for rethinking the role of the object in psychic constitution. Therefore, we discuss his concept of introjection as well as his considerations about the pathological trauma.