Am J Psychiatry 1977; 134:549-553
Copyright © 1977 by American Psychiatric Association
Cognitive and interactive aspects of splitting
MJ Horowitz
The author discusses splitting, the segregation of multiple inner schemata
of self and others, from the points of view of cognitive structure,
cognitive process, anad interpersonal transaction. A case example
illustrates how one borderline patient shifted fluidly during therapy among
four isolated and sometimes incompatible representations of the
doctor-patient relationship. The author concludes that therapists working
with borderline patients must be aware of atypical transference patterns
and may have to introduce, as a special nuance of therapy, work to
stabilize patients' realistic self- and therapist images before offering
interpretations.
