Using object relations theory to understand childhood deprivation.

In clinical practice, it has been noted that many patients referred for eating disorders, self-abuse, and other self-destructive behavior patterns had a common history of deprivation in childhood. Little research or conceptual literature has been devoted to the study or clarification of the phenomenon of emotional deprivation. Current literature focuses on the more obvious, measurable factors of abuse and neglect. This article defines deprivation from an object relations perspective, demonstrates its overlap with abuse, and suggests that deprivation, alone or in conjunction with other trauma and abuse, places individuals at risk for devastating, life-long problems. Nurses encounter patients who are sufferers of emotional deprivation and need to be well-informed in order to help stop the cycle of violence and abuse.