An Examination of symbolic relationships in early father loss through Lacanian perspective

Since the early days of psychology and psychoanalysis, the concept of mother has been the focus, while the father has been overlooked as at parental figure. Lacan, in his return to Freud, thought about the neglected concept of father and re-examined fatherhood through a structural model, he repositioned the important function of the father in psychic structure within psychanalytic theory. The current thesis aimed to deeply examine the experience of father loss at a young age. More specifically, it focuses on how individuals make sense of father loss and the impact of the father's absence on identity, family dynamics, and symbolic relationships. A qualitative research method was used to study this topic. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with five individuals who lost their fathers between the ages of 6 and 18 months. A theoretical reflexive thematic analysis approach was utilized, and six main themes were identified from the data. The themes were "the symbolic absence of the father, identity, family dynamics after the loss of the father, seeking the symbolic function of the father during growth, surrogate father figures, and symbolic relationships". The results of the study were discussed in the light of the relevant literature. This study revealed the effects of early father loss on the identity, family dynamics, growth process, and symbolic relationships of individuals. In line with the literature, it was observed that the absence of father has an impact on relationships with authority, rules and order and that various compensatory mechanisms are put into action to replace the paternal function. The participants' statements revealed that the place of father is unique and irreplaceable, but this absence is partially compensated through surrogate figures, fantasies or creative activities.