Clinical Psychology: Research and Practice Innovations

Clinical Psychology: Research and Practice Innovations"

Psychic Retreats in Cluster C Personality Disordered Individuals: a qualitative case study

Document Type : Original Article

Authors
Hasan Hadinezhad 1
Mohammad-Naghi Farahani 2
Azizollah Tajikesmaeili 3
1 PhD Student, Department of Psychology, University of Kharazmi
2 PhD, Professor, Department of Psychology, University of Kharazmi
3 PhD, Associate professor, Department of Counseling, University of Kharazmi
10.22075/jcp.2022.25736.2356
Abstract
Introduction: Psychic retreat consists of a network of pathological object relationships and a system of defenses that serve to protect the patient against a range of anxieties. The aim of this study was to evaluate and understand the behavioral manifestations and symptoms corresponding to psychic retreats in individuals with cluster C personality disorder.
Method: The present study was a qualitative method based on a case study with a phenomenological-hermeneutic approach. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews with three students with cluster c personality disorder. Sampling was purposive and the data were analyzed based on phenomenological interpretive analysis (IPA).
Results: The concepts identified from the interviews were clustered in nine sub-themes, which form the two main themes of psychic retreats. Based on the obtained patterns and structural explanation, the specific form of the retreat was explained to each participant: a psychic retreat based on shame and humiliation caused by the observer object, a psychic retreat based on grievances, and a psychic retreat based on anger and grievance and the struggle for power.
Conclusion: The results show that in all three personality disorders of cluster c, the pathological organization with the same nature and quality but with distinct symptom manifestations for each personality disorder has appeared in the form of psychic retreat. Psychotherapists' attention of the nature and function of psychic retreats and its role in creating therapeutic impasse and developmental interruption can be a window to better understand the position of the patient and the therapist and the richness of psychotherapy.
Keywords
psychic retreat
personality disorder
pathological organization
object relationships
defense mechanism
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  • Receive Date 29 December 2021
  • Revise Date 09 January 2022
  • Accept Date 20 February 2022
  • First Publish Date 20 February 2022
  • Publish Date 20 February 2022