Object Relational Object Relational Understanding of Understanding of Behavior in the Behavior in the

Therapeutic MilieuTherapeutic MilieuApplications to Functional Applications to Functional Behavior Assessments and Behavior Assessments and

Behavior Intervention Behavior Intervention PlansPlans

Evolution of the Object Relations Evolution of the Object Relations PerspectivePerspective

In the beginning…There was FreudIn the beginning…There was Freud Deep divisions created psychoanalytic Deep divisions created psychoanalytic

theorytheory Deep divisions over time created a Deep divisions over time created a

psychodynamic perspectivepsychodynamic perspective Today there are two main theories that Today there are two main theories that

support this paradigmsupport this paradigm Self psychology and object relations Self psychology and object relations

psychologypsychology

Foundations of Object Relational Foundations of Object Relational TheoryTheory

John BowlbyJohn Bowlby Attachment TheoryAttachment Theory Mary AinsworthMary Ainsworth The Strange SituationThe Strange Situation Categories of Attachment:Categories of Attachment: SecureSecure Anxious Attachment: Ambivalent Anxious Attachment: Ambivalent

AttachmentAttachment Anxious Attachment: Avoidant AttachmentAnxious Attachment: Avoidant Attachment Disorganized AttachmentDisorganized Attachment

Object Relational Theoretical AssumptionsObject Relational Theoretical Assumptions

People have an innate, inherited, biologically People have an innate, inherited, biologically determined need to connect with other peopledetermined need to connect with other people

The first primary relationship through infancy, early The first primary relationship through infancy, early childhood and childhood set the foundation for the childhood and childhood set the foundation for the affective tone of future relationships –what to expect affective tone of future relationships –what to expect from relationships, what affective tone dominates from relationships, what affective tone dominates relational connectionsrelational connections

The attachment relationship is an external, observable The attachment relationship is an external, observable and measurable relationship in terms of quality and and measurable relationship in terms of quality and that relationship creates an internal world – the that relationship creates an internal world – the relationship is internalizedrelationship is internalized

Object Relations in the Therapeutic Object Relations in the Therapeutic MilieuMilieu

Our relational history manifests itself Our relational history manifests itself interpersonallyinterpersonally

Our intimate relationships become a script Our intimate relationships become a script for our relational inheritancefor our relational inheritance

Problematic aspects of our interpersonal Problematic aspects of our interpersonal relationships reflect deficits, toxicity, relationships reflect deficits, toxicity, unresolved loss, unrequited longings from unresolved loss, unrequited longings from our own attachment historiesour own attachment histories

Acting out behavior can be understood as Acting out behavior can be understood as a way to communicate what has gone a way to communicate what has gone wrong for us relationallywrong for us relationally