Quadripolar Relational Model: a framework for the description of borderline and narcissistic personality disorders
This work addresses the problem of improving treatment for individuals with personality disorders, though it appears incremental as it combines existing psychological theories.
The paper tackles the challenge of understanding borderline and narcissistic personality disorders by merging psychodynamic and trauma-dissociation theories into a new Quadripolar Relational Model, resulting in a novel therapeutic proposal for these conditions.
Borderline personality disorder and narcissistic personality disorder are important nosographic entities and have been subject of intensive investigations. The currently prevailing psychodynamic theory for mental disorders is based on the repertoire of defense mechanisms employed. Another line of research is concerned with the study of psychological traumas and dissociation as a defensive response. Both theories can be used to shed light on some aspects of pathological mental functioning, and have many points of contact. This work merges these two psychological theories, and builds a model of mental function in a relational context called Quadripolar Relational Model. The model, which is enriched with ideas borrowed from the field of computer science, leads to a new therapeutic proposal for psychological traumas and personality disorders.