The psychoanalytic theory of Melanie Klein

Disciple of Sigmund Freud and one of the most important authors of psychoanalysis, Melanie Klein is known for her adjustment of the psychoanalytic model to working with children., being she one of the main authors in working with minors.

The psychoanalytic theory of Melanie Klein, while continuing in many respects with Freud's work, stands out for expanding and deepening aspects of development throughout childhood and create a more focused approach on how the individual relates to objects (generally understood as such other people), this being the basis of the theory of relationships object them.

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Melanie Klein and the theory of object relations

The psychoanalytic theory of Melanie Klein is based mainly on his theory of object relations. In this theory it is established that the subject is related to the environment from the sensations and impulses that he feels and projects on the objects of his impulse. Relationships with these objects generate permanent traces that will mark the future relationship with others, internalizing the experiences lived and originating on the basis of them the psychological structure of the subject.

A) Yes, the psychic configuration of a person it would be based on how the interaction with said objects has been related and internalized, the individual developing based on it. In other words, past learning is very important for Melanie Klein's theory, unlike the current biologist at the time, which defended the essentials of genes.

The individual and his development

In Klein's psychoanalytic theory, the human being is found from birth in a constant state of conflict between life or love and death or hate drives. Throughout the development of being, the subject must overcome the stages and conflicts typical of the life stage that is being lived, forging a balance between the external and the internal through relationships with different objects and, over time, enriching their self, personality and character.

During this development the individual will go through different phases, varying the way in which we capture reality and relate our impulses and desires with it and reaching different milestones and aspects that help us to generate an integrated self that allows us to face the conflicts between the desires of the id and the censorship of the superego.

The Self in psychoanalysis

Although the work of Melanie Klein is largely a follower of that of Sigmund Freud, there are some aspects in which divergences can be found.

One of the main ones is that while the father of psychoanalysis considers that at birth the human being is pure it, in the psychoanalytic theory of Melanie Klein it is believed that from birth the infant has a primitive self that allows him to connect with objects and project his own unconscious impulses and conflicts onto them.

Thus, initially, object relations would be based on the impulse projection and introjection of external stimuli, in order to develop a more or less differentiated self in the different stages or positions.

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Development positions

Melanie Klein's psychoanalytic theory states that throughout development the human being goes through a series of stages in which he develops the self and relationships with the environment. Specifically, she establishes the presence of two concrete positions in childhood in which object relations and anxieties derived from them evolve towards an integration of the self, the paranoid-schizoid position and the depressive

The author proposes a moment of appearance of each one, but she does not deny the possibility that adult subjects suffer some type of regression and / or fixation in any of them. Thus, the paranoid-schizoid position would be more linked to the emergence of psychotic disorders and the depressive to neurotic ones.

1. Schizo-paranoid position

This position appears to be the first type of object relationship, initiated at birth and tending to last up to six months of age. In this initial stage of development, the child is not yet able to identify what the self is and what is not, having a concrete thought and not being able to distinguish holistic elements.

By not being able to distinguish the self from the non-self, the child cannot integrate the joint existence of aspects rewarding and aversive in the same object, with which he reacts by partially identifying the objects doing what considers the existence of a good one who takes care of him and another bad one that hurts or frustrates him (This defense mechanism is called splitting), projecting its impulses and attempts onto them. The most important example that will mark the infant the most is that of the mother's breast, which at times breastfeeds him and at other times frustrates him.

Due to the existence of a bad, persecutory object, the infant will develop anxiety and distress at the idea that it might attack you. In this way, a paranoid fear develops which in turn will awaken aggressive and sadistic instincts towards the object. Likewise, confusion and anguish are frequent due to the ignorance of what object is going to be found.

If the child manages to introject the good aspect of objects (essentially the mother's good breast) through the living more or better positive experiences than negative ones, you will be able to form a healthy self that allows you to move on to the next position.

2. Depressive position

As the child matures, he begins to have a greater development of the self and a better capacity for discernment of what is the self of what is not, being now able to observe that objects are independent of themselves themselves. This stage arises around six months after birth.

The good aspect of objects is incorporated and introjected, specifically from the mother's breast, and the child is able to integrate the pleasant and unpleasant aspects of objects. Little by little it has come to be possible to see objects as a single element that can sometimes be good and sometimes bad.

Aggressive drives decrease, and when observing that the object is an independent entity, fear and anxiety about the possibility of its loss are born. Thus, in this position or stage, depressive-type anxieties appear, which are added to those of the previous position. Feelings of guilt and gratitude towards objects are born, and defense mechanisms such as repression of instincts and displacement begin to be applied.

The Oedipus complex

One of the most controversial concepts in psychoanalytic theory is the Oedipus complex, which according to Freud appears throughout the phallic stage around three years of age. In the psychoanalytic theory of Melanie Klein this complex is quite previous, appearing together with the integration of partial objects into a total object during the depressive position.

In other words, Klein considers that there is an Oedipus complex from the moment the child is capable of discern that his parents are individuals alien to him, observing that there is a link between them that he does not be part. The child projects her wishes on said bond, generating envy and causing ambivalent feelings about it.

Later the Oedipus complex proposed by Freud will appear, at the moment in which the ambivalence and the choice is made between the desire for a parent and rivalry and identification with the other.

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Symbolic play and unconscious fantasy

The ability to express yourself verbally and externalize through the word thoughts, emotions, desires and experiences it develops throughout life. This capacity requires a certain level of learning and maturational development, as well as a certain capacity for introspection.

Thus, for a child who has not completed her development, it is extremely complex to be able to express her instincts, desires and anxieties. This is one of the main reasons why the free association characteristic of Freudian psychoanalysis could not originally be applied to children.

However, the instinctual elements, the desires and fears that are part of each one, are present from birth. For the psychoanalytic theory of Melanie Klein, although in childhood these elements may not be conscious, they can be symbolized in the generation of fantasies. In this way, unconscious fantasies act as a method of expression of basic instincts and anxieties, projecting these into the game and largely directing the attitude and behavior of children.

In this regard, one of the most valued contributions by Melanie Klein's psychoanalytic theory is the introduction of symbolic play as a method of evaluation and work with minors. For Klein, play is a method of communication in which the infant expresses her original concerns and desires indirectly. In this way, by analyzing the symbolism contained in the game process, it is possible to observe the fantasies unconscious that govern the behavior of the child in a way analogous to that used in the methods of free association applied in adults.

When using the symbolic game, it is very important to setting or adjustment of the situation, that is, take into account that the need for the sessions, the type of Furniture and toys are suitable for the child so that it is not imposed on him how he should play. The child must choose those toys that he wants to use by himself, being able to freely express his fears, anxieties and desires through them.

Bibliographic references:

• Almendro, M.T. (2012). Psychotherapies. CEDE PIR Preparation Manual, 06. CEDE: Madrid.

• Corral, R. (2003). History of Psychology: notes for its study. Editorial Felix Varela. Havana.

• Klein, M. (1971). Principles of child analysis. Buenos Aires: Paidós.

• Klein, M. (1988). Envy and gratitude and other jobs. Complete works. Volume 3. Barcelona: Paidós.