strengths of the psychosexual approach

• it is supported by detailed case studies, such as Freud’s work with Little Hans. 

  Evidence: Freud used the case of Little Hans, a five-year-old boy who developed a phobia of horses, to illustrate how unconscious conflicts rooted in early childhood experiences can manifest as psychological symptoms. According to Freud’s interpretation, Little Hans’ fear of horses symbolised a displaced fear of his father, linked to the Oedipus complex. Freud argued that the phobia was a result of repressed anxiety and unconscious defence mechanisms, such as displacement. 

  Explanation: provides in-depth, qualitative support for Freud’s ideas, demonstrating how unconscious conflicts may influence behaviour in a way that is consistent with his psychodynamic model. The level of detail and insight gained through this method allowed Freud to explore complex psychological phenomena in a naturalistic setting.
•  led to the development of successful and effective therapies, which have had a significant positive impact on the treatment of mental health issues. 

  Evidence: Psychodynamic therapy aims to uncover unconscious conflicts through techniques such as free association and dream analysis. A meta-analysis by Shedler (2010) reviewed multiple studies and found that psychodynamic therapy produced significant improvements in symptoms that not only matched but often exceeded those of other therapies, such as CBT, particularly for complex and long-term psychological conditions. Furthermore, the benefits of psychodynamic therapy were found to continue and even increase after treatment ended, indicating lasting positive change. 

  Explanation: has real-world application and therapeutic value. The therapy’s focus on deeper, unresolved psychological issues may offer patients more enduring results than approaches which only address surface-level symptom
• Point: A further strength of the psychodynamic approach is that there is research evidence supporting some of its key concepts, lending credibility to its theoretical claims. 

  Evidence: Solms (2000) used modern brain-scanning techniques and found that brain regions associated with emotion and memory (such as the limbic system) were active during dreaming, lending support to Freud’s idea that dreams are expressions of unconscious desires and thoughts. 

  Explanation: These findings provide scientific backing for aspects of Freud’s theory. Studies like Solms’s demonstrate that some psychodynamic concepts can be operationalised and tested using modern psychological and neuroscientific methods. This increases the credibility of the approach and suggests that its ideas are more empirically grounded than critics may assume.