Evaluation of Night Eating Syndrome within the Context of Object Relations through Projective Tests

Abstract

According to psychoanalytic theory, the quality of early object relations is of great importance in the construction of the psyche. The dominant psychoanalytic view is that childhood frustrations, emotional neglect and problems related to the separation-individuation process are effective in the development of eating disorders. Psychoanalytic theories have always stressed out the relationship between eating, dreaming and the psychic processes. From this point of view, the present article aimed to examine the effects of problematic early object relations on eating disorders. Based upon the theories of Winnicott and Bion, the main focus of this study was to investigate night eating syndrome accompanied by sleep problems. In this context, the psychic processes of an obese female client with night eating syndrome were examined through two projective tests. After the psychoanalytically informed clinical interviews, the Rorschach and Thematic Perception Test were applied, respectively. Information obtained through semi-structured clinical interviews and application of projective tests were evaluated by adhering to the content analysis method of the French School. In addition, the relationship between the client's psychic processes and the inability to dream was interpreted on the basis of psychoanalytic theory.