Examining the relationship between object relations and interpersonal distress in a clinical sample

Abstract

The goal of the present study was to explore the relationship between patients' object relational functioning (Social Cognition and Object Relations Scale‐Global Ratings) as rated by clinicians during the course of outpatient psychodynamic psychotherapy in a university‐based clinic and patient self‐reported interpersonal vulnerabilities (Inventory of Interpersonal Problems‐64). Participants (n = 112) were outpatients entering treatment at a university‐based psychotherapy clinic and were diagnosed primarily with mood disorders as well as Axis II relational problems and features. Participants completed the IIP‐64 prior to receiving therapy, and SCORS‐G ratings were based on patients' level of relational functioning during the evaluation process (i.e., the semistructured interview, follow‐up and feedback) and across the first two psychotherapy sessions. Results showed a significant relationship between the IIP‐64 Total score with SCORS‐GSelf‐Esteem (r = −.21, p < .05) and Affective Quality of Representations (r = −.20, p < .05), wherein self‐reported interpersonal dysfunction was greater among patients who had lower self‐worth and perceived others as more malevolent. These findings suggest that patients who rated themselves as having more significant interpersonal difficulty reported more negative expectations and experiences of relationships in their psychotherapy narratives. The utility of the SCORS‐G and the IIP‐64 as two different avenues of assessing patient relational functioning is explored.

A critical review of the Social Cognition and Object Relations Scale–Global and Thematic Apperception Test in clinical practice and research: Psychometric limitations and ethical implications.

“…Although a number of scoring and interpretive systems have been developed since its inception in 1943, which have been guided in part by different research and clinical agendas, the SCORS-G (Westen, 1995) in particular has received increasing attention as a framework for assessing personality dynamics as manifested in narrative material. The SCORS-G has been used as a research tool to explore early memories and psychotherapy narratives (Slavin-Mulford et al, 2021), personality and interpersonal functioning (Cain & Hilsenroth, 2020; Haggerty et al, 2015), psychotherapy attrition and working alliance (Vaughn et al, 2021), changes in suicidal ideation and psychiatric functioning (Clemence & Lewis, 2018), and global health and resource utilization (Richardson et al, 2018). Over the last decade, some have also advocated for using the SCORS-G as a clinical assessment instrument with individuals—as a means of informing questions relating to psychological functioning, disposition, and treatment planning (Stein et al, 2011; Stein & Slavin-Mulford, 2018).…”