ON THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN SELF-OBJECT DIFFERENTIATION, SYMBIOTIC EXPERIENCES AND PATHOLOGY REDUCTION IN SCHIZOPHRENIA

This paper deals with the relationship between self-object differentiation and pathology reduction in schizophrenia. Data from a number of studies are presented in which a variety of symptomatic therapeutic interventions were utilized and the following two findings consistently emerged1) it was the initially more differentiated schizophrenics who responded to the interventions with significant reductions in pathology; 2) accompanying this pathology reduction was diminished self-object differentiation. These findings were related to the therapeutic effect of symbiotic experiences on schizophrenics and theoretical implications were suggested.