Treatment of masochistic dynamics in the character disorders: The victim-aggressor introject

• Main Author: Balcazar, Dawn Elizabeth
• Language: ENG
• Published: ScholarWorks@UMass Amherst 1987
• Subjects: Psychotherapy
• Online Access: https://scholarworks.umass.edu/dissertations/AAI8805891

This work is a theoretical exploration of the functions and meanings of masochism across individuals with varying character pathology. Aspects of moral masochism are viewed from a psychoanalytic, object relations perspective. An historical overview of psychoanalytic writings on moral masochism is provided and advances in object relations theory are outlined, with emphasis on how the nature of one's early experiences can evolve into an internal sense of self in relation to others. From this perspective, the inner world of the moral masochist may be seen as featuring an ongoing tension between self/other as victim or aggressor. A theoretical construct of the victim-aggressor introject is introduced as a means of conceptualizing masochistic dynamics as they unfold in the treatment setting. As in-depth qualitative analysis of masochistic dynamics was obtained through a study of verbatim transcripts of the long-term psychoanalytically-oriented psychotherapies of three patients with moral masochistic features. The cases are presented and discussed in terms of the functions and meaning of their masochistic features, particularly in the context of their specific character pathology (i.e.: borderline, narcissistic). Special emphasis is placed on how the victim-aggressor introject was externalized and manifested in the patient-therapist relationship. A central conclusion of this investigation is that masochism is a complex and multi-determined phenomenon, serving a variety of functions within and across individuals, and conforming to the unique structural organization and developmental level of the individual. Although the cases differ in terms of character pathology, certain commonalities are noted: (1) early object relationships were characterized by closeness in association with suffering; (2) there was significant emotional deprivation in childhood, such that the need for closeness was intense enough to warrant an acceptance of suffering along with it; (3) rageful and self-destructive affects co-existed and were split into polar dyads, with one affect being projected while the other was experienced internally.