Melanie Klein's Object Relations Theory Paper

In “Anorexia Nervosa and Bulimia: The Development of Deviant Identities", which was published in 1987, the researchers utilized the labeling theory in their study on anorexics and bulimic victims. The current appearance norms in society demand thinness for women and muscularity in men. Social and Individual factors were considered in the studies which were conducted by the authors, Penelope A. McLorg and Diane E. Taub. Advertising has become the primary agent of socialization which promotes the slimness of both genders in our society. The researchers noted conformity in the behavior of the anorexics' and bulimics' families tend to conform to the norms by making close relations. In the study, the researchers found that parent’s opinions on

     The family tends to play an important role in the development of eating disorders. Males tend to have very strict, domineering fathers who encouraged development in sports. It has also been recognized that many men with eating disorders may not have had a father figure around at all. (Zerbe, 1992) Their mothers have been described as overprotective and controlling. (Romero, 1994) Adolescent boys with eating disorders relate that parents or siblings are usually on diets as well and there tends to be an emphasis on food and dieting

First, psychological consequences of being overweight or obese eating disorders such as binge eating, bulimia and anorexia. In “Bare Bones” (310), Emily Wierenga tells a powerful story of a 12-year-old girl named Carolyn who suffers from anorexia based on her fear of becoming fat. Wierenga’s purpose is to inform the psychological aspects that obesity evokes on one’s body. Anorexia may begin with a desire to diet to lose a few pounds, it also can be a fear of being overweight, but it occurs when the person becomes overly involved in the diet and limits food more than is healthy. In addition, being overweight also causes depression. Many times, people who suffer from obesity often feel they have a low quality of life. Obesity can cause poor self-image, low self-esteem, and social isolation, all known contributors to depression. People experiencing depression overeat or make poor food choices and avoid exercising. Depressed people experience decreased levels of the serotonin have a tendency toward obesity they tend to self-medicate by overeating and restore their normal serotonin levels. Also, obesity also causes lowered self-esteem and body dissatisfaction, most obese individuals feel ‘ugly’ or unattractive. This greatly affects their confidence to interact with people. Psychological issues play significant roles in both the development and consequences of

According to the National Association of Anorexia Nervosa and Associated Disorders, “the body type portrayed in advertising as the ideals is possessed naturally by only 5% of American females.” (“ANAD”) Body image has been a controversial theme because of the influence of the media. It is a widely known fact that eating disorder cases are on the rise. The concept of body image is a subjective matter. The common phrase, “Beauty is in the eyes of the beholder,” holds true meaning in this sense. One’s view and value of their body is self-imposed. Falling into the destructive eating disorders reveals much about a person’s psychological and emotional state. Examining the mental, physical, and emotional conditions behind recognized eating

“Adam” is a nineteen-year-old, African American male who was admitted to The Bridge on 12/1/16 for residential substance abuse treatment. He was court ordered to the facility due to a violation of probation for possession of marijuana with intent to distribute. He has a history of using substances which started at the age of fifteen with smoking marijuana. At the age of sixteen, Adam sprained his ankle and was prescribed Percocets for the pain. He started talking the medication as prescribed but gradually started using them recreationally when he went to parties with his friends.

Family Systems approach is another form of psychotherapy that treats the entire family unit. It assumes that everyone in the family contributes to the problem, and that change must take place throughout the family system, not just within the individual presenting the eating disorder (“Family therapy”, 2014, para. 1). This approach helps to,

This studies goal was to examine the extent to which family environment and attachment styles are concurrently related to eating disorders.

We are all genetically and socially affected by our families. Families serve as the matrix of our identity. It is through interactions within the family that we develop a sense of who we are and how we fit in (Minuchin, Rosman & Baker, 1978). Parents serve as role models, providing examples for attitudes, coping skills, and eating habits, as well as setting standards for perfection, ambition and acceptance (Hall & Cohn, 1992). Many researchers claim that family dynamics are at the root of eating disorders such as anorexia nervosa. The role of dysfunctional family interactions in the pathogenesis of anorexia nervosa has been given a prominent place in the research field. Evidence for a specific

I think that the Object Relations Theory would best apply to this client and his family. An outline of Object Relations Theory from Walsh (2013) includes its focus, origins & social context, nature of the individual, and intervention goals & techniques. The focus of this theory is on interpersonal relationship patterns, its origins and social context including studies of early childhood deprivation, the effects it has and an interest in the role of early relationships, also known as attachment theory. The nature of the individual includes the assumptions that healthy development requires an environment that is nurturing from the beginning, and that individuals

The purpose of this paper is to correlate the links between infant mother attachment and eating disorder behavior. Throughout this paper the two main theorists that are looked at are Mary S. Ainsworth and John Bowlby. Mary S. Ainsworth’s framework of attachment theory began in Uganda, while studying individual difference in infant behavior, which is known as the Strange Situation. John Bowlby coined the theory of infant mother attachment based on object relations psychoanalytical theory and the conceptualization that infants need healthy maternal bonds for later functioning as adolescents. Eating disorders have reached epidemic proportions over the last 30 years. Research shows that individuals with eating disorder have higher levels

Anorexia nervosa is an eating disorder that consists of self-regulated food restriction in which the person strives for thinness and also involves distortion of the way the person sees his or her own body. An anorexic person weighs less than 85% of their ideal body weight. The prevalence of eating disorders is between .5-1% of women aged 15-40 and about 1/20 of this number occurs in men. Anorexia affects all aspects of an affected person's life including emotional health, physical health, and relationships with others (Shekter-Wolfson et al 5-6). A study completed in 1996 showed that anorexics also tend to possess traits that are obsessive in nature and carry heavy emotional

b) Career counsellors have primarily been using relational theories in order to best support dual-income families and clients. Relational theories originated in feminist theory and strive to create more inclusive practices for all genders (Evans et al., 2013). Relational theories have been used successfully and believe that “one’s deepest connections with others can no longer be ignored or extracted from the career development and the counselling process” (Schultheiss, 2003). They provide a holistic view of the client relative to their supports and other members of their lives. This applies to issues of gender roles as there are two individuals that need to work through the challenges that come from being a dual-income family or adopting non-traditional roles. Theories such as Phillips relational model of self-directedness and actions of others, and Schultheiss relationships in career exploration suggest that the input of others

Many theorists believe that family dynamics of those suffering from eating disorders may have contributed to their illness. For instance, anorexic families have sought to be closely related, with perfectionistic attitudes, and higher socioeconomic status. Cole-Detke & Konak (1996) described anorexic families as dependent on their child which results in the sufferer being tired to their needy parents by stopping their daughter from actually developing her own autonomy and sense of separation into the world. According to attachment theory, disordered eating behaviors and the attempt to control

Tia’s eating problem will not be looked at just internally within the family, however looked at and drawn from the pool of culturally shared beliefs (Hooper & Dallos, 2012). Particularly in Western societies there may be seen to be a dominant narrative that troubled states or practices are a result of inherent personality defects, and biologically inherited tendencies (Martin & Guterman & Shatz, 2012). It’s also important to look at environmental factors that also significantly influence the development of eating problems, including abuse and neglect, peer pressure, and social isolation. Tia stated she has not seen much of her friends since coming back from the ski trip. Therefore this can be an indication of some pressures that stem from relationships

Much of the literature that focuses on the parents' role in the development of eating disorders is focused on the mother and the mother-daughter relationship. Studies have shown conclusively that a mother's body image and eating habits are, mirrored in her daughter, and that if she is obsessed with her own body image, it stands likely that her daughter will be the same way both growing up and in her adult life. The father, though, is often left out of the research except for in the basic family profile. Here, we will examine the active role that the father plays in the development of eating disorders in their daughters. First, we will explore why the father's ideas and