The Paranoid-Schizoid Position in Relationships: Psychological Mechanisms and Clinical Implications
1. Introduction The paranoid-schizoid position is a foundational psychoanalytic concept that describes a specific, primitive mode of organizing psychological experience and navigating interpersonal relationships. In adult relationship dynamics, operating predominantly from this position leads to severe emotional volatility, characterized by alternating periods of intense idealization and absolute devaluation of a partner. Clinical intervention focuses on … Read more