Abstract
Rorschach and Sentence Completion Test (SCT) data of 21 eating disordered patients aged 15 to 29 were examined to uncover the nature of conflicts within the family. Analysis of Rorschach responses and SCT descriptions of parents and self showed that these patients tend to feel as though they are in completely helpless situations, especially with mothers who cannot detect signs that they are in need of help, or with fathers who are potentially powerful but do not use their power to help them. The fantasy among eating disordered patients that they have lost communication with important caretakers and therefore find themselves in desperate situations is discussed through reference to the detailed sequence analysis of the Rorschach data of Miss A., a 28-year-old eating disordered female patient, for psychodynamic understanding. Miss A. showed resignation to the mother who is engaging in her own activity and indifferent to her, idealized her father and expect him to be her powerful rescuer but soon noticed that he would never use his power to help her. These confrontation led Miss A. to develop a sense that she cannot escape from the crises, became desperate and exaggerated self-mocking attitude.
