Abstract
In this chapter, my aim is to provide an overview and discussion of the literature on the interactional aspects of denial and defense. Psychiatrists and psychoanalysts often speak or write about defense mechanisms as independent mental operations dissociated from the ebb and flow of interpersonal events. This review will show defense as an important aspect of communication between individuals and how they relate to each other. Until recently, classical psychoanalytic literature contained few studies of the influence of interpersonal relations on the formation or maintenance of defensive operations. The investigations summarized later reveal how both the form and the content of a person’s denials and defensive functioning throughout life are influenced and even partly shaped by interactions with other individuals operating out of their awareness.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Preview
Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.
References
Bion, W. (1959). Attacks on linking. International Journal of Psycho-Analysis, 40,308–315.
Bion, W. (1967). Second thoughts. New York: Jason Aronson.
Boszormenyi-Nagy, I. (1967). Relational modes and meaning. In G. H. Zuk &. Boszormenyi-Nagy (Eds.)Family Therapy and Disturbed Families(pp. 71–89 ). Palo Alto: Science and Behavior Books.
Brodey, W. M. (1965). On the dynamics of narcissism: I. Externalization and early ego development. Psychoanalytic Study of the Child, 20, 165–193.
Cain, A. C. (1972). Children’s disturbed reactions to parental suicide: Distortions of guilt, communication, and identification. In A. C. Cain (Ed.), Survivors of Suicide, (pp. 93–111). Springfield: Charles C Thomas.
Dorpat, T. L. (1972). Psychological effects of parental suicide on surviving children. In A. C. Cain (Ed.), Survivors of suicide(pp. 121–144). Springfield: Charles C Thomas.
Dorpat, T. L. (1974). Drug automatism, barbiturate poisoning and suicide behavior. Archives of General Psychiatry, 31, 216–220.
Dorpat, T. L. (1981). Basic concepts and terms in object relations theories. In S. Tuttman, C. Kaye, and M. Zimmerman (Eds.), Object and self: A Developmental approach(pp. 149–178). New York: International Universities Press.
Dorpat, T. L. (1985). Denial and defense in the therapeutic situation. New York: Jason Aronson.
Framo, J. L. (1970). Symptoms from a family transactional viewpoint. In N. W. Ackerman (Ed.), Family therapy in transition(pp. 48–62). Boston: Little Brown.
Freud, A. (1936). The ego and the mechanisms of defense. New York: International Universities Press.
Greene, W. A. (1958). Role of vicarious object in the adaptation to object loss: I. Use of a vicarious object as a means of adjustment to separation from a significant person. Psychosomatic Medicine, 20, 20–29.
Greene, W. A. (1959). Role of vicarious object in the adaptation to object loss: II. Vicissitudes in the role of the vicarious object. Psychosomatic Medicine, 21, 29–41.
Grindberg, L. (1962). On a specific aspect of countertransference due to the patient’s projective identification. International Journal of Psycho-Analysis, 43, 436–440.
Grotstein, J. S. (1981). Splitting and projective identification. New York: Jason Aronson.
Kanzer, M. (1957). Panel Report. Acting out and its relation to impulse disorders. Journal of the American Psychoanalytic Association, 5, 136–145.
Kernberg, O. F. (1976).Object relations theory and clinical psychoanalysis. New York: Jason Aronson.
Klein, M. (1946). Notes on some schizoid mechanisms. International Journal of Psycho-Analysis, 27,99–110.
Kohut, H. (1971). The analysis of the self. New York: International Universities Press.
Kohut, H. (1977). The restoration of the self. New York: International Universities Press.
Kubler-Ross, E. (1969). On death and dying. London: Macmillan.
Laing, R. D. (1967). Family and individual structure. In P. Lomax (Ed.), The predicament of the family(pp. 107–125). New York: International Universities Press.
Langs, R. (1976). The bipersonal field. New York: Jason Aronson.
Langs, R. (1978). The listening process. New York: Jason Aronson.
Langs, R. (1979). The therapeutic environment. New York: Jason Aronson.
Langs, R. (1980). Interactions: The realm of transference and countertransference. New York: Jason Aronson.
Langs, R. (1981). Resistances and interventions. New York: Jason Aronson.
Langs, R. (1982a). Psychotherapy: A basic text. New York: Jason Aronson.
Langs, R. (1982b). The psychotherapeutic conspiracy. New York: Jason Aronson.
Loewald, H. (1970). Psychoanalytic theory and the psychoanalytic process. Psychoanalytic Study of the Child, 25,45–68.
Mahler, M. S. (1952). On child psychosis and schizophrenia: Autistic and symbiotic infantile psychoses. Psychoanalytic Study of the Child, 7, 286–294.
Muir, R. C. (1982). The family, the group, transpersonal processes and the individual. International Review of Psycho-Analysis, 9,317–326.
Ogden, T. H. (1982). Projective identification and psychotherapeutic technique. New York: Jason Aronson.
Räkkölainer, V., & Alanen, Y. O. (1982). On the transactionality of defensive processes. International Review of Psycho-Analysis, 9,263–272.
Rosen, V. H. (1955). The reconstruction of a traumatic childhood event in a case of derealization. Journal of the American Psychoanalytic Association, 3,211–221.
Rothenberg, A. (1961). Psychological problems in terminal cancer patients. Cancer, 14,1063–1073.
Sandler, J. (1976). Countertransference and role-responsiveness. International Review of Psycho-Analysis, 3,43–47.
Sandler, J. & Sandler, A.-M. (1978). On the development of object relationships and affects. International Journal of Psycho-Analysis, 59,285–296.
Schafer, R. (1976). A new language for psychoanalysis. New Haven: Yale University Press.
Silverblatt, H. (1981). Denial of pregnancies extended to physicians. Psychiatric News, 16(22).
Vogel, E. F.,Bell, N. W. (1960). The emotionally disturbed child as the family scapegoat. In N. W. Bell & E. F. Vogel (Eds.), A modern introduction to the family(pp. 28–41). Glencoe: Free Press.
Wallerstein, R. S. (1967). Reconstruction and mastery in the transference psychosis. Journal of the American Psychoanalytic Association, 15,556–569.
Wangh, M. (1950). Othello: The tragedy of Iago. Psychoanalytic Quarterly, 19,202–212.
Wangh, M. (1962). The evocation of a proxy: A psychological manoeuvre, its use as a defense, its purpose and genesis. Psychoanalytic Study of the Child, 17,463–469.
Waxenberg, S. E. (1966). The importance of the communication of feelings about cancer. Annals of the New York Academy of Science, 25,1000–1005.
Weinstein, E. A. (1980). Affects and neuropsychology. The Academy Forum, 24, 12.
Weinstein, E. A., Kahn, R. L. (1955). Denial of illness. Springfield: Charles C Thomas.
Weisman, A. D. (1972). On dying and denying: A psychiatric study of terminality. New York: Behavioral Publications.
Wynne, L. C. (1965). Some indications and contraindications for exploratory family therapy. In I. Boxzormenyi-Nagy & J. L. Framo (Eds.), Intensive Family Therapy(pp. 81–99). New York: Hoeber.
Zinner, J., & Shapiro, R. (1972). Projective identification as a mode of perception and behavior in families of adolescents. International Journal of Psycho-Analysis, 53, 523 –531.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 1989 Plenum Press, New York
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Dorpat, T.L. (1989). Interactional Perspectives on Denial and Defense. In: Edelstein, E.L., Nathanson, D.L., Stone, A.M. (eds) Denial. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4613-0737-2_2
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4613-0737-2_2
Publisher Name: Springer, Boston, MA
Print ISBN: 978-1-4612-8057-6
Online ISBN: 978-1-4613-0737-2
eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive