A Study of the Communicative Aspect of the Projective Identification Concept Based on a Clinical Case

This study explores the communicative aspect of projective identification. The phenomenon of projective identification, studied since the beginning of the 20th century, is considered by analysts primarily as a primitive defense mechanism that promotes an economical response to the influence of objective reality. However, the concept of projective identification also implies a communicative aspect. In most psychoanalytic studies, projective identification is considered as a phenomenon directly related to communication between mother and child, patient and psychoanalyst, husband and wife. Therefore, the urgent task of this study is to identify the communicative function of projective identification. The purpose of the study is to determine the essence and characterise the manifestation of the communicative aspect of projective identification. The study is based on the hypothesis that projective identification is a method of communication aimed at obtaining feedback and is expressed in the desire of the subject to communicate to the opponent such mental content that is really present and has an upsetting effect but not available for transmission in explicit form, since it is partially or completely not recognised by the subject in a specific sign-content form. The theoretical part is built on the basis of key concepts from Melanie Klein, Wilfred Bion, Thomas Ogden, Betty Joseph, Elizabeth Spillius, Edna O'Shaughnessy. The empirical basis of the study is a clinical case. Research objectives: • Research and analysis of key sources determining the development of the concept of projective identification; • Determination of the essence of projective identification; • Identification of the communicative aspect of projective identification: identification of the effects that accompany projective identification and realise the function of communication; • Description of the patient's clinical case; • Identification of specific acts of projective identification, analysis of the communicative aspect in identified cases. The results of the study may be useful for psychoanalytically oriented therapists to analyse transference and countertransference. The study used 21 literary sources including 10 English-language scientific publications in psychoanalytic journals.