Journal of Personality Assessment

ISSN: 0022-3891 (Print) 1532-7752 (Online) Journal homepage: http://www.tandfonline.com/loi/hjpa20

Early Memories as Expressions of Relationship Paradigms: A Preliminary Investigation Marvin W. Acklin , James L. Bibb , Pam Boyer & Vijay Jain To cite this article: Marvin W. Acklin , James L. Bibb , Pam Boyer & Vijay Jain (1991) Early Memories as Expressions of Relationship Paradigms: A Preliminary Investigation, Journal of Personality Assessment, 57:1, 177-192, DOI: 10.1207/s15327752jpa5701_19 To link to this article: http://dx.doi.org/10.1207/s15327752jpa5701_19

Published online: 10 Jun 2010.

Submit your article to this journal

Article views: 10

View related articles

Citing articles: 8 View citing articles

Full Terms & Conditions of access and use can be found at http://www.tandfonline.com/action/journalInformation?journalCode=hjpa20 Download by: [Nanyang Technological University]

Date: 13 November 2015, At: 06:35

f

Downloaded by [Nanyang Technological University] at 06:35 13 November 2015

Relationship Paradigms: A Preliminary Marvin W. Acklin and James L. Bibb Bqvmtment of Pswcirisf,~i Universify of fiamizii School of Medicine, Honoi~ii'l:

dezxmtrate cocvergent vai:dity w:h nezsxes 3F zttaihnent srvie (Separa:ion -Ind~ikiuaticnTest of Acioiescencei: mood iProfiie of Muod Srztez!: and &::.iczl spr;rp:oxatologv (Svxp:om Ciieckiist :;'-RwiscJ iS,ct-d&k; an> the M::x~eso:a L t ~ i t i ~ h a sPersonality ic !nuent:x-v [I~~~?viPI]!. The hv?otheses re-

.

c

;msseci irkEMe is assocmed with ciegrec of genc;ai rda3jiis:zieni. S ~ g p : s ~ ! c t~ sr fxr:her reseerch are discussed.

.41though cancer2 with ixerpersocal relstioxhips has r m w been remoce i r c x . . ,-Iinicai - ,. interest, the last 29 years have wi:nessea 3 =;ra:natic :;purge s i t h e o r e t :cal? ciinicai! and empirlcd focus on reiarions'tip a n d ?ersonaliti; knccicning. Qiparticular inxxsst has Seen t h e cogniri:~a:-d affective bases of :cterpt.rso:;zi functioning. Object relacions theory, with its interest i? dimensicns of se!G znci .crthe: p e r c e ~ t i i ~awd n exnerience, sacid-cogn:::vc ixvchc'iogy. ii..;~hits focus i.~.

Downloaded by [Nanyang Technological University] at 06:35 13 November 2015

178

ACKLIN, E B B , BCYER, JAIN

relaticnship schemas and expectancies, and interpersonal theory, with its stress or, associations between relationships in clinical assessment and inrervention. The work of Sullivan (1953) established imporrani foundations for the view :hat human relationships form the marrix oi'persomiiry (Greenberg & h5tcheli, 1983). Kernberg (1976) stressed che f-~ndamentalbjtransactional nature of personaIitY5~:~lnctioning with his view that ac individual's represectacicnai worid {Sander & Rosenblatt. 1962) is built up through a repertoire of self- and object images Iinked rhrough predorninacr affective dispositions. These "cognitiveaffective schemata" or "relationship paradigms" (Mayman & Faris, 1963) h n c tion as the represenrational substrates oi interpersonal experience. orgaaizing relational expectancies and assumptions, perceptior,, emotional experience, and interpersonal behavior. Relationship paradigms: as schemas or scripcs oiseii and others, ere the basis o i transference phenomena, namely, the reenactment of prototypical interpersonal scenarios in the therapeutic relationship (luborsky, 1984; Singer, j.985; Wesren, i958). Finally, personality disorders are cencrailv related to relationship pxadigrns inasmclch as they involve dysfunctionai interpersonal reiaticnships (h4cLemore & Benjamn, 1919; McLemore & Brokaav, 1987). Emerging research sdggests tha: Axis 11 personality disorders may predispose individuals to or actazlly be cornorbid with Axis I psychopathology (Everjv, Shapiro, Levine, Xewman, & Sherman, 1985; loffe, Swinson, & Regan, 1'388; Mavissakalian 5r Earniriann, 1986, 1988). i he anatvsis of reladonship paradigms through projective assessment data, inciuding the Rorschach, the Thematic Apperception Test-. perscn descriptions, dreams, and early memoriest has stlmuiated and revitalized the empirical iwestigation and clinical utility of projective techniques of personaiity assessment. For exampie, the work of Sidney Biatt and his coIieagues has iocused on the assessment of object relacions through the use of open-ended person descriptions (Blatt, Wein, Chevron, Sr Qzinian, 1979) and the Rorschach tesr (Biart tk Lerner, 1953). Urist (1975; LJrist 6;,Shill, 19821, similarly emphasizing :he transactional nature of Rorschach percepts, deveioped his Mutuality of Autonomy Scale (MAS) to assess :he nature and quaiity of seif in reiation to others. Mayman and his colleagiaes at the University of Michigan studied object representations in relatior, to the Rorschach (Mayman, 1961), early memories (Mayman &Ryan, 1972),and dreams (Krohn & Maynan, 1994).The upshot of rhese stiadies is that "level of objec: representation appears t c be a salient, cmsistent, researchabie persona!icy dimensior: . . . it is not a redundant construct synonymous with level of psycRopatholagy or severity of psychopathology" (Krohn & Mayman, 19'74. p. 45;). Krohn and Mayman fmmd that ieveis of object representation correlated with the Luborsky's Heaith-Sic~nessRzting Scale. Though nor addressing relationship episodes directiy: Bruhn and his coiieagiles have accumulated an impressive series of findings relating the content of Fh4s t c locus of control stance (Bruhn & Schiif-r:an, 1982), classification of

-

EARLY hlE.II2RiES

179

Downloaded by [Nanyang Technological University] at 06:35 13 November 2015

.., . Th:s study was conducrecj rcr prp\.ide ?reli~.inarvcorastr7;ct \-a:laa:lor, \>i ., " reiationship parai~gms esamin~ngre'iationship episodes h e m Efifs. Cii-icai Interest -In EhG has bee:- longstanding. ~ r i m a r i !in ~ the .4dlerxin school. in

,

?

recerit years, hcrwe\w, the number of art:::ies tocus;ng on t i x e3piricai :cvesti.,. gation and ciinicai uriky of E?& has increased ciramaricalh ie.g., Aciciln: a L e r , .klexa&~, & Dqgoni, 1929; ainder. & Smokier, 1482;Brrnhc,195i, 1535; Lasc ,& B r ~ h r : !?83, , 1385). 5 3 5 , in general psychoiogv terms, iieriire fro= auto't;~c?graphjcamemory, . . spccificaiiy epimdic or even: memory < i ulving? 1933), that is, "-. L.-~ c i . ~ ?ha: ~ . ~ v1.1 a:;robiogrepF:.ical ira character, and contains mare or iess exp!ic~treference rc rhe self as a s agent zr esperienrer oi some event . . ." iKihisrror:, !PC:, 2 . 1 Asjessmen:, 4;. 5";-631. Lasr, j.. Si Er-kc. A. \ I 9 9 3 D~stinguishingct;iid diagnostic :vpe: \\.it:? early nenor:es. iozim;:i c! Permwlit> .%sressment: $52: 8;-i92. Levine. j..Green. C . , &hliIion. T. tISS6).T h e separation-~ndivid-ilafii?~. tes: of adoiercenie. .ioti.d .?erso~d::~ Aaessmm:. 53: 123.- 2 7 . Liborskv: t,i1"75'!. Chiciail's jadgernen: of me:& heaith. Spearnen case dessr1p:mns a n i tc'rms . . ka :he Iieaith-Sickness Rating Scaic. 17ui;ecin o! :he hler,n;r,g.~Jinic. j?, ii5-.:5:. Luhorskv, L. : 19$4i.. Frinc!?ies d p s ~ c h o s n a i v t i cps&othcra.pv. New York: 5as; B?nkr. hlc5ier. M. S., ?me, F.. 5: ?%ergmar.,A. ilS?j! Thepsjchoiog:ral b i n - o i & k u m ~:.i l ! x f S e u - ?-ark: Bas~cb & s . .in!r-d of Ciirirul:;ng hlaricwe. C.! & Zrowne. E.( i 9 6 i 7 '4 new scale of socia; des::abil!t!-. ? w i o i o ~ 24. , 3+4-354. i1986';. 3Sb:-21 pers~na!i:y disorcie: :r,ag0:2~hAxa. C m , p ~ Xlavi~sakz!:ar,, hl.. SL Hamann. ?%4. b m i t e Pssciii~m-\, 2;. 4,; -479. hlai.~asakal:arr. i f . , & Hamna::n. M. i1988;. Correlates of DSM-I11 personal::) 5snrde: iz pani-, &order a n 3 agoraphobia. Corn.xr6ersrce F & i a r ~ . 2C., 535-5% h4aynan. M.(1967). 0kqe.s ;epresen:a:Ions and o h m : reiationsb.ipr, ir; R 3 r ~ ~ h x .responses. h . ! o u x i cf Prqectw,r Te;i(..wuue: an: Pe~so.mibr: 4ssessmen:, 3 :j:7 - 2 4 . Marmas:. h?. ;I96$!. Eariv rnernoxes an5 c h a r n x e r strurtxrc J o x m l of P ~ o ~ e c Er i rTechnqw.. 2nd ?e.rs.linalx? .4ssessme~;t,52: 323-315. Mavman. hl., &Fans, M.: :96?j.Eariv rnenorler a%expressicr~soi reiaasnshl; ?araiqms, .>.me-ran .!o:md o f '3-lhnpyiciuacr).. 30; 5C7-52.2. Mayman. h.I , SL &an. E. ( i T 2 : . L e d and quoli? of objec: relutrmsht;~ A scai~;,t~$l~ailbic :c cq erl b e h w o r ani p,iec::ue trs: Vnpuhlished marruscrip:. i h v e r s i : ~of htichigan h/iclernore. C.: & Senjanin, L. :i97P\. Wha: ever happene2 cr m t e r ~ r s o n a i d:agnosis A p d m s o c i a i slrernative to DSA-El. i.menizn P:ychoiogs:. 3" 17-34. h k l e m o r e , C., & 6rokzn:. E. (1987\,. Fersonaiitc dlsorderr as d-i.si-.xtcrional interpers:~naibehavior. . . .lourno: of Fersonniit\ D:sorde+s, 1 , 273-295. h%cNa:r. 3.! i o r r . >I., & Dro?plenan, 5 (1972!. M a n u ! iv :he Profiit $ 45:d S:ares San Diego. Eciucationai a n 3 lnduscriei Tes:ing Service. Nigg>J.. Lohr, K., TS17esren.3.,Goid. L.,& Silk, K. i ! ? Q . .4freni~eq~u?i:r?c$ob!ec: rehiition: ir. enrl, .. m~mone: .;'om'er:int.suLyexs Cinpublished manuscrip:. Norusis, hi. 3. !:PEr).>. SPSS. PC+ \','.$ bat. ? l a n d Chicago. S?SS, h i . Sandier, 1.. & Rosenblaz. B. ii36ii. T h e concepr o i t h e represenra:ionai \x-oriS. F~>ih~antli;.:i: S:i+ $thc Chi:;, 17. 128-iJ5. Singer, . L. (i985i. Transierence and the hurnail cond~tion:A cqn~tive-afieirive perspecivc. , ~ x & ~ n ~ $ c i ?&&p, c 2 , :&:,l q , .. . Stern. I? li9es). Thc :ilre:?ersonui eioriii 0: CIIE i+mt: A oich fro^ prltii,x~di.S~n ; ~i~wiopmentiil p.ric,4rrIo~. New Yo%: Basic lior~ks. Sulhvail. H S. :195?i T r e psschm-ic mtevieu. Xew Yo*: Norton. ; easdaie, 1. D.. & F;lgar:r, 5.j.\;FIT!. Differen:!ai effecrs of i ~ ~ d u c emood i, o;: rer:ie~.ai oi pieasan: and snpieasanr even:s from epsodic memory. Jou-na! q! A b n c m i P&ioloD. 88. 245-25:.

(,r

-7-

:ulving, E. it387:. Elemencs o j episodic memoq. Oxtord, England: Oxford Llniversiry Press. Grist: .I. (1977). The Rorschach test an2 :he assessmen: of object reiarions. .Jnu:noi of Personality Asse5;menr, 411 3-9. LJrist, j.. S i Shill. M.(1992). i'aiidiq of the Rorschach mutuaiky r i autonomy scaie: A rep!ication using excer~tedresponses. .ioumal of Personaht? Assessme~r,46, 453-454. D. :!YSB!. Transference and infomacior; processing. C!ICIC~ jSSych?iop RCP!I~W, 9; 16;-i??. 'ii'ingo, P., Acklin, h4. W., & Dewoife, A. (10901. ?empara: consistetiq nj eariiesr chiidhood rcco!lec;ior;s :r, relation tc, nutr:i~li?-oca:r+~ mood 5tn;es Unp"b!ished manuscrap:

Downloaded by [Nanyang Technological University] at 06:35 13 November 2015

T

?Slar~isW. Acklin i 564 Keolu Drive Kailua, HI 96734 Received Augirst 74, 1993 Revised October Is,1990

APPENDIX

Synopsis: EM Scoring Manual The scormg manual assess three prototvplcal scenarios: mastery. care-gwer mteract~on,and peer-s:biing interact~on.Various probes of these scenarious fo!lcw cr-lth a focus on their nature and outcome.

Early memory age Rater. affecr h t e m p t s at rr.astery Mastery outcome Care-giver i n r e r a d i ~ n Care-giver outcome Caregiver attitude Care-giver nurturance Peer-sibling interaction: Peer-sibling nawre Peer-sibiing zr:i:ude Self-activirv

Self-role Perception of environment Darrmge aspect: Self, Others, Animals Reality adherence Individual distinctiveness Degree of contact

(age when EM occurredi (iikert: Unpleaszct-Pieasant) (Eichotonais: .Kisent-Present) (Likert: Failure-Success) (Dtckotsmous: Absenr-Fresent: (Liker:: Negative-Positive! (Eikert.: Maievolent-Benevoieni] (Likert: Depriving-Sarisfyingl {Dichotomous: Absent-Present) (Likert: Negative-Positive) (Likert: Mzlevoient-Senevoiext:~ (likerr: Passitve-Active) (Ekert: Victim-Success) ilikert: Dangerous-Safe) (Llker:: Kme-Death.'ciestruction) (Likerr : hchuherent-Coherent! (Likert: Vague-Distinctive? (Likert: Alone-Sustained)

Early memories as expressions of relationship paradigms: a preliminary investigation.

Earliest childhood memories (EMs) have been utilized as expressions of relationship paradigms, but few empirical studies have been conducted. This stu...
1MB Sizes 0 Downloads 0 Views