@article{ART003403146},
author={Do-Won Park and Dong-Yeol Shin},
title={Persecutory and Depressive Anxieties in a Young Man Struggles to Be Aline: Alone: A Single-Case Study Based on Klein’s Object Relations Theory},
journal={Industry Promotion Research},
issn={2466-1139},
year={2026},
volume={11},
number={4},
pages={401-411},
doi={10.21186/IPR.2026.11.4.401}
TY - JOUR
AU - Do-Won Park
AU - Dong-Yeol Shin
TI - Persecutory and Depressive Anxieties in a Young Man Struggles to Be Aline: Alone: A Single-Case Study Based on Klein’s Object Relations Theory
JO - Industry Promotion Research
PY - 2026
VL - 11
IS - 4
PB - Industrial Promotion Institute
SP - 401
EP - 411
SN - 2466-1139
AB - This single-case study explored the emotional and relational experiences of an unmarried man in his early thirties who had difficulty tolerating being alone and interpreted the psychodynamics of his persecutory and depressive anxieties through Melanie Klein's object relations theory. Data were collected through three 60-minute semi-structured in-depth interviews conducted in July 2026 and analyzed using qualitative content analysis. Four main themes and twelve subthemes emerged: (a) a sense of abandonment, helplessness, and fear of self-collapse when alone; (b) repeated pursuit of substitute objects through digital stimulation, casual encounters, work, and exercise; (c) the experience of relational ruptures as personal failure and object loss; and (d) depressive anxiety marked by self-attack, guilt, and a wish for reparation. From a Kleinian perspective, the participant had difficulty sustaining a good internal object in the absence of an external object, which gave rise to persecutory anxiety and paranoid-schizoid defenses such as splitting and projective identification. At the same time, his recognition of the harm he had done to himself and others indicated movement toward the depressive position, mourning, and integration. These findings suggest that counseling should help clients tolerate painful affect, internalize reliable relational experiences, integrate love and aggression, and transform global self-condemnation into realistic responsibility and reparation.
KW - Young Men;Being Alone;Persecutory Anxiety;Depressive Anxiety;Object Relations
DO - 10.21186/IPR.2026.11.4.401
ER -
Do-Won Park and Dong-Yeol Shin. (2026). Persecutory and Depressive Anxieties in a Young Man Struggles to Be Aline: Alone: A Single-Case Study Based on Klein’s Object Relations Theory. Industry Promotion Research, 11(4), 401-411.
Do-Won Park and Dong-Yeol Shin. 2026, "Persecutory and Depressive Anxieties in a Young Man Struggles to Be Aline: Alone: A Single-Case Study Based on Klein’s Object Relations Theory", Industry Promotion Research, vol.11, no.4 pp.401-411. Available from: doi:10.21186/IPR.2026.11.4.401
Do-Won Park, Dong-Yeol Shin "Persecutory and Depressive Anxieties in a Young Man Struggles to Be Aline: Alone: A Single-Case Study Based on Klein’s Object Relations Theory" Industry Promotion Research 11.4 pp.401-411 (2026) : 401.
Do-Won Park, Dong-Yeol Shin. Persecutory and Depressive Anxieties in a Young Man Struggles to Be Aline: Alone: A Single-Case Study Based on Klein’s Object Relations Theory. 2026; 11(4), 401-411. Available from: doi:10.21186/IPR.2026.11.4.401
Do-Won Park and Dong-Yeol Shin. "Persecutory and Depressive Anxieties in a Young Man Struggles to Be Aline: Alone: A Single-Case Study Based on Klein’s Object Relations Theory" Industry Promotion Research 11, no.4 (2026) : 401-411.doi: 10.21186/IPR.2026.11.4.401
Do-Won Park; Dong-Yeol Shin. Persecutory and Depressive Anxieties in a Young Man Struggles to Be Aline: Alone: A Single-Case Study Based on Klein’s Object Relations Theory. Industry Promotion Research, 11(4), 401-411. doi: 10.21186/IPR.2026.11.4.401
Do-Won Park; Dong-Yeol Shin. Persecutory and Depressive Anxieties in a Young Man Struggles to Be Aline: Alone: A Single-Case Study Based on Klein’s Object Relations Theory. Industry Promotion Research. 2026; 11(4) 401-411. doi: 10.21186/IPR.2026.11.4.401
Do-Won Park, Dong-Yeol Shin. Persecutory and Depressive Anxieties in a Young Man Struggles to Be Aline: Alone: A Single-Case Study Based on Klein’s Object Relations Theory. 2026; 11(4), 401-411. Available from: doi:10.21186/IPR.2026.11.4.401
Do-Won Park and Dong-Yeol Shin. "Persecutory and Depressive Anxieties in a Young Man Struggles to Be Aline: Alone: A Single-Case Study Based on Klein’s Object Relations Theory" Industry Promotion Research 11, no.4 (2026) : 401-411.doi: 10.21186/IPR.2026.11.4.401
