Object Relations in Severe Trauma: Psychotherapy of the Sexually Abused Child / Edition 1

by Stephen Prior

Overview

Prior, a therapist for sexually abused children, outlines an object relational theory of the consequences of sexual traumatization in children. The theory is based on his intensive psychotherapeutic treatment of seriously disturbed boys who suffered multiple forms of neglect and abuse. Drawing on the work of W.R.D. Fairbairn, Bernhard Berliner, and Rudolf Ekstein, he analyzes the psychological response to trauma in terms of the repetition of abusive patterns of relationship, identification with the aggressor, self-blame, and the seeking of object contact through sexuality or violence. Annotation ©2004 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781568215549
Publisher:	Aronson, Jason Inc.
Publication date:	04/01/1996
Edition description:	New Edition
Pages:	204
Product dimensions:	6.58(w) x 8.66(h) x 0.79(d)

About the Author

Stephen Prior holds doctorates in both philosophy and psychology. After receiving his degree in psychology, he worked extensively with seriously disturbed children. Currently he is in private practice with adults and children in the greater Boston area.

Table of Contents

	Preface	vii
	Acknowledgments	xi
1	Introduction	1
2	Trauma and Tragedy	17
	Joey	20
	Fred	23
3	On the Absence of an Adequate Theory	29
	The Conceptual Setting	31
	Borderline Children	33
	The Changing Conceptual Framework	42
	Attempts at Integration	51
4	Relational Dilemmas of Abused Children	59
	Relentless Reliving of Victim-Victimizer Experiences	62
	Identification with the Aggressor	64
	Perverse Object Contact	68
	Self-Blame	70
	Possession	73
5	Internalized Models of Relationship	79
	Psychic Structure	82
	Masochism, Perversion, and the Need for Relatedness	84
	Attachment Theory's Perspective on Internalized Object Relations	88
	On the Function of Negative Introjects in the Psyche	93
	Theoretical Summary	104
6	Where Is Trauma in Traditional Theory?	107
7	The Dilemma of Therapy and the Uses of Violence	125
8	A Case Study	139
9	Summary	165
Appendix	Contraindications	171
	References	175
	Index	185

What People are Saying About This

Judith L. Allpert

Object Relations in Severe Trauma provides the unusual amalgamation of solid scholarship, sound theoretical development, and detailed case examples of treatment of the seriously disturbed and traumatized child. Drawing from both his psychotherapeutic treatment of seriously disturbed boys who suffered multiple forms of neglect and abuse and from the work of Fairbain, Berliner, and Ekstein, Prior delineates an object relational theory of the consequences of the sexual traumatization of children that has implications for therapy. Students and practitioners will benefit from the illustrations of the psychological response to trauma in terms of the repetition of abusive patterns of relationship, identification with the aggressor, self-blame, and the seeking of object contact through sexuality or violence. This is probably one of the most valuable books for clinicians who provide therapy to sexually abused children from multi-problem families.

Editorial Reviews

Object Relations in Severe Trauma provides the unusual amalgamation of solid scholarship, sound theoretical development, and detailed case examples of treatment of the seriously disturbed and traumatized child. Drawing from both his psychotherapeutic treatment of seriously disturbed boys who suffered multiple forms of neglect and abuse and from the work of Fairbain, Berliner, and Ekstein, Prior delineates an object relational theory of the consequences of the sexual traumatization of children that has implications for therapy. Students and practitioners will benefit from the illustrations of the psychological response to trauma in terms of the repetition of abusive patterns of relationship, identification with the aggressor, self-blame, and the seeking of object contact through sexuality or violence. This is probably one of the most valuable books for clinicians who provide therapy to sexually abused children from multi-problem families.

Judith L. Allpert