Psychodynamic Approach

• Behaviour is influenced by our childhood experiences- first stage is oral where a baby explores the world (frustration, indulgence). Anal stage can be linked to disorganisation. Phallic stage is linked with insecurity. Latent linked with knowledge and genital is linked with romantic relations. If a child becomes fixated in a stage it can lead to issue in the adult personality.
• Tripartite personality- the three parts of the personality: the id, the ego, and the superego. The id operates on the pleasure principle and seeks satisfaction. The ego operates on the reality principle and referees the id and superego. The superego operates on the morality principle and is disciplined.
• The unconscious mind- the unconscious mind contains thoughts and feelings that we cannot directly access but can express indirectly (dreams). The unconscious mind is related to ego defense mechanisms.
• Mother child relationships- our tripartite personality can be linked to mother child relationships because its learned through identification with parents. The phallic stage is important in relationships, fixation at this stage can result in someone not being able to enter new relationships.
• Dreams as wish fulfilment- Freud believed dreams were the unconscious fulfilment of wishes that cant be satisfied in the conscious mind. Symbolic nature of dreams- the real meaning of a dream is transformed into a more inoffensive form. Dreamwork- latent content of a dream is transformed into manifest content. Therapist- they reverse the dreamwork process.
• Dream analysis and the influence of childhood experiences- the aim of dream analysis is to discuss experiences that may surface during dreams. Childhood experiences affects the unconscious mind as it expresses itself through dreams that indicate what is really bothering us.
• Dream analysis and the tripartite personality- the aim of dreaming is to act out our wishes and desires, during dreams our ego defence is low so the id takes control. Dream analysis links with the tripartite personality because both focus on desires and demands.
• Effectiveness of dream analysis- Shapiro and Emde (1991) report that psychodynamic therapies are often unsuccessful. Salzman (1980) found these therapies are generally of little help to clients with specific disorders (OCD). Solms (2000) found that dream analysis could be effective as its received some biological research support.
• Time consuming- dream analysis is extremely time consuming, for it to be effective months of sessions with a therapist are needed. This requires substantial effort and financial input. Many clients are unwilling to invest such time/money.
• Ethical Issues- in many psychodynamic therapies the patient is reliant on the therapist to make progress in the sessions, this can cause a power imbalance and lead to over-dependence. This could limit the patients right to withdraw from the therapy.
• False memory syndrome- false memories of traumatic experiences can occur during psychoanalysis when the therapist claims to have uncovered past events. Toon et al (1996) claimed that some therapists may create false memories to prolong the therapy, causing substantial psychological harm to the patient.
• Emotional harm- during therapy a therapist may guide a client towards an interpretation that is emotionally distressing. The distress caused may be greater than the distress that the client is experiencing as a result of current problems.
• Shapiro and Emde (1991) found dream analysis is often unsuccessful, depressed people may be too inactive or unmotivated to participate in the sessions.
• Solms (2000) used PET scans to highlight to regions of the brain that are active during dreaming. The rational part of the brain is inactive during rapid eye movement sleep, but the memory part of the brain is active.
• According to the British Psychoanalytical Society the cost of an individual session can vary from £50-£120.
• In 1944 John Bowlby observed the effects of separation on emotionally disturbed children at his clinic. He believed that early prolonged separation between a child and its mother could cause 'habitual delinquency'.
• Method- a control group was used but the study was not an experiment because Bowlby didn't manipulate the study in any way. A group of thieves and a control group were compared in their experiences of separation.
• Sample- 44 thieves were used (31 boys, 13 girls) between the ages of 5-17. They were graded in terms of the seriousness of their stealing. The thieves were mainly of average intelligence between 85-114.
• Control Group- a further 44 children who attended the clinic were also used. This group was similar is age, sex and IQ. This group was emotionally disturbed but not thieves.
• Procedure- each child was given a test by a psychologist to assess their intelligence. A social worker interviewed the childs mother to get a back story. School report were also studied. Many of the children continued with this for 6 months.
• Findings-Bowlby recognised 6 different personality types: normal, depressed, circular, hyperthymic, affectionless and schizoid. 12 out of 14 affectionless children experienced frequent separation from their mothers (Betty I). 17 of the 44 thieves experienced early separations. 5 of the 27 without separations had 'fathers who hated them'.
• Conclusions- early experiences are of vital importance in later development and the relationship between a mother and child. Damage to this relationship can lead to a reduced sense of right and wrong.
• Confidentiality- the report gives out the patients full names and provides considerable details of their lives. Its not clear from the report if the families were aware of how much of their information would be published.
• Valid consent- the children were seen at the clinic 5 years before the report was published, making it hard to gain consent 5 year after with ww2. 10 years after the study attitudes to valid consent changed.
• Social implications- women may have felt less able to return to work after having children because Bowlby's study showed the importance of the mother's presence in a child's healthy moral development.
• Criminal justice system- Bowlby's findings raised important questions for the justice system, like issues around the responsibility of young offenders for their own actions.