Diagnostic significance of ego and superego blocking situations in the Rosenzweig Picture-Frustration Test

• Published in: Zeitschrift fur klinische Psychologie, Psychopathologie und Psychotherapie Vol. 33; no. 2; p. 152
• Main Author: Rauchfleisch, U
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: German
• Published: Germany 1985
• Subjects: Adult; Aggression - psychology; Ego; Humans; Neurotic Disorders - diagnosis; Neurotic Disorders - psychology; Projective Techniques; Psychometrics; Superego
• ISSN: 0723-6557

The article deals with an investigation on 200 subjects (4 groups of 50 subjects each: females and males, psychologically healthy persons and neurotics) with the Rosenzweig Picture-Frustration Test (PFT). The reactions are analyzed by a modified method: separately for ego- and super-ego-blocking items. The results show that the subjects--apart from diagnosis--perceive ego-blocking situations as frustrating and react to them in a non-aggressive way (depreciating the conflict, complaisant reactions, passivity). In contrast to this the super-ego-blocking items provoke more aggressive impulses. For differential diagnostic purpose especially the ego-blocking items are significant: the neurotics are characterized by avoiding conflicts and withdrawal, while the psychologically healthy subjects show a greater ability to handle conflictual situations in an active way. It is proposed to use this modification (ego vs. super-ego-blocking items) also for follow-up studies (therapy-control) and for the investigation of patients with different ego-structure (for example schizophrenics, borderline personalities, patients with transference neuroses).