Psychodynamic Approach Flashcards
- ASSUMPTION: TRIPARTITE PERSONALITIES
FREUD believed there were THREE PARTS OF THE MIND; THE ID, PRESENT AT BIRTH and OPERATES on the PLEASURE PRINCIPLE. Demonstrates IMMEDIATE SATISFACTION and GRATIFICATION at any cost. THE EGO is the MEDIATOR between the ID and the SUPER-EGO, which is PRESENT AT THE AGE OF 2 and OPERATES on the REALITY PRINCIPLE, ATTEMPTING TO SATISFY THE ID WITHOUT DISGRACING THE SUPER-EGO. THE SUPER-EGO develops at the age of 5 and operates on the MORALITY PRINCIPLE, it PRAISES the ego for MORAL ACTIONS with feelings of PRIDE and PUNISHES the ego for IMMORAL ACTIONS with feelings of GUILT. This approach is used to explain CRIMINAL BEHVAIOUR as a STRONG and DOMINANT ID and a WEAK or ABSENT SUPER-EGO, leading to a WARPED sense of RIGHT and WRONG.
- ASSUMPTION: UNCONCIOUS MIND
FREUD believed the mind was made up of the PRE-CONCIOUS, CONSCIOUS and UNCONCIOUS. FREUD proposed the mind was like an ICEBERG and much of what goes on is BELOW THE SURFACE, which is where the PRE-CONCIOUS and UNCONCIOUS are. The MAIN PART is the UNCONCIOUS MIND which CONTAINS all our UNRESOLVED CONFLICTS and DESIRES that are DEEMED INAPPROPRIATE. The EGO REPRESSES such thoughts to the UNCONCSIOUS MIND so we do not FACE THEM. EGO DEFENCE MECHANISMS like PROJECTION help to REPRESS such FEELINGS. For e.g. , a student may use PROJECTION to PROTECT their feelings towards their teacher by BLAMING THEM and suggesting the teacher hates them.
- ASSUMPTION: CHILDHOOD EXPERIENCES
FREUD proposed that PSYCHOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENT in CHILDHOOD occurs in a series of KEY DEVELOPMENTAL STAGES: PSYCHOSEXUAL STAGES, each representing a FIXATION of the LIBIDO on a DIFFERENT AREA OF THE BODY. The FIRST THREE STAGES: ORAL, ANAL, PHALLIC are the MOST IMPORTANT in a CHILD’S EARLY DEVELOPMENT. The ORAL is FOCUSED on WEANING onto SOLID FOODS, the ANAL is FOCUSED on POTTY TRAINING and the PHALLIC on the OEDIPUS COMPLEX. At EACH STAGE there is a CONFLICT that needs to be OVERCOME for the CHILD TO DEVELOP ‘NORMALLY’, if NOT a FIXATION or OVER-INDULGENCE will occur. FIXATION happens when NEEDS HAVE NOT BEEN MET and the CHILD IS UNDER-SATISFIED. OVER-INDULGENCE takes place when a CHILD IS MORE THAN SATISFIED , TOO COMFORTABLE and RELUCTANT to move onto the next stage.
MAIN COMPONENTS OF PSYCHODRAMA
1. ROLE TAKING
The PROTAGONIST is the person whose ISSUE is being ACTED OUT in the DRAMATIC SCENE. The AUXILIARY EGOS are the PEOPLE in the GROUP who will take on the ROLE of the SIGNIFICANT OTHERS in the PROTAGONIST’S LIFE. They may also ACT OUT ASPECTS of the PROTAGONIST’S ‘SELF’ like their ‘CRITICAL’ or ‘ANXIOUS SELF’. The AUDIENCE are those who WATCH the SCENE being ENACTED and MAY become INVOLVED in AUXILIARY ROLES. The DIRECTOR is the TRAINED PSYCHODRAMATIST who has the ROLE of GUIDING the GROUP through the ENACTMENTS.
MAIN COMPONENTS OF PSYCHODRAMA
2.ROLE REVERSAL
Described as the ENGINE that DRIVES PSYCHODRAMA. ROLE REVERSAL involves the PROTAGONIST CHANGING POSITION with a SIGNIFICANT OTHER ( previous partner, family member etc). The point is for the PROTAGONIST to demonstrate the EMOTIONS, ATTITUDES and BEHAVIOURS they feel were experienced as by this INDIVIDUAL: PUTTING THEMSELVES IN OTHER’S SHOES.
ROLE REVERSAL is created to INCREASE EMPATHY. Part of the HEALING PROCESS is for the PROTAGONIST to INCREASE THEIR UNDERSTANDING of the FEELINGS of their SIGNIFICANT OTHER. Often, the PROTAGONIST would have held DISTORTED VIEWS of the OTHER PERSON, the DIFFICULTY of the DIRECTOR is to CHALLENGE these VIEWS in an APPROPRIATE WAY, so the PROTAGONIST GAINS a FULL UNDERSTANDING of why the OTHER PERSON may have ACTED that way.
MAIN COMPONENTS OF PSYCHODRAMA
3. MIRROR TECHNIQUE
AFTER the PROTAGONIST has ACTED out a SIGNIFICANT EVENT, ISSUE or EMOTION, they are ASKED to STEP OUT of this role, and an AUXILIARY will step INTO said role: MIRRORING. This ALLOWS the PROTAGONIST to take a STEP BACK and SEE THEMSELVES as OTHERS SEE THEM. It is IMPORTANT that this TECHNIQUE is USED CAREFULLY, NOT TO CAUSE HUMILIATION to clients or RESULT in them BECOMING OVERLY SELF-CRITICAL. However, it is EXTREMELY HELPFUL in a situation where the PROTAGONIST has LITTLE AWARENESS to how they BEHAVED or REACTED in a PARTICULAR SITUATION.
MAIN COMPONENTS OF PSYCHODRAMA
4. THE DOUBLE
where ONE member of the group TAKES ON THE PROTAGONIST ROLE and attempts to ENTER THEIR WORLD by ACTING OUT THEIR INNER THOUGHTS and FEELINGS. The ‘DOUBLE’ may be ABLE TO EXPRESS such in a way THE PROTAGONIST CANNOT, due to GUILT,INHIBITION or SHYNESS. The JOB of the DOUBLE is to make these FEELINGS CONCIOUS and EXPRESS them in an ACCEPTABLE MANNER. The PROTAGONIST has the RIGHT to CORRECT the DOUBLE as NECESSARY and to REJECT their statements. Ultimately, it is a WAY of GENTLY CHALLENGING the PROTAGONIST’S BEHAVIOUR.
EVALUATE Psychodrama
(+) Effective in addressing PAST EVENTS that haven’t been ACKNOWLEDGED. When clients are trying to GAIN CLOSURE FROM PAST RELATIONSHIPS but the RELEVANT PERSON is NO LONGER around, PSYCHODRAMA provides a MEANS of MAKING this happen using AUXILIARY EGOS. Various COMPONENTS of PSYCHODRAMA serve to HELP clients in many ways. For e.g. , ROLE REVERSAL is PARTICULARLY IMPORTANT when working with CLIENTS with a HISTORY OF ABUSIVE BEHAVIOUR, AS OFTEN THEY LACK THE ABILITY TO EMPATHISE WITH OTHERS.
(-) An ETHICAL ISSUE is the POSSIBILITY of NOT being PROTECTED FROM HARM. Many researchers feel there is a HIGH POTENTIAL RISK of CAUSING TOO MUCH ANXIETY on the client if they are PUSHED TO REVEAL THOUGHTS and FEELINGS before THEY ARE READY. As PSYCHODRAMA requires clients to EXPRESS EMOTIONS in a GROUP CONTEXT, it is IMPORTANT that CLIENTS DO NOT FEEL COERCED to ENGAGE in anything if THEY ARE NOT READY. Adding on , if CLIENTS DO REVEAL EMOTIONAL SCENES that HAVEN’T surfaced PREVIOUSLY, it’s IMPORTANT the THERAPIST is FULLY TRAINED as ‘DIRECTOR’ and is ABLE TO MANAGE the SCENE EFFECTIVELY. Relating to this, its also IMPORTANT in the AFTERCARE PROCESS. As many clients will GRIEVE at the end of the GROUP EXPERIENCE, where they HAVE FELT VALUED , it is IMPORTANT that the THERAPIST INVESTS ONE-TO-ONE TIME WITH THE CLIENT to suggest HOW they can CREATE such feelings in THEIR DAY-TO-DAY LIVES.
AIM of PSYCHODRAMA
to BRING REPRESSED THOUGHTS into the UNCONCIOUS MIND to GIVE the CLIENT INSIGHT into THEIR BEHVIOURS and CURE THEM
CLASSIC EVIDENCE: BOWLBY (1944)- 44 JUVENILE THIEVES
METHODOLOGY
This study was A SERIES of CASE STUDIES
PPS- 44 CHILDREN who ATTENDED a CHILDREN’S GUIDANCE CLINIC and were seen as ‘ THIEVES’ as STEALING was ONE of their ‘SYMPTOMS’
SAMPLE- consisted of 31 BOYS + 13 GIRLS ages between 5-17 YRS OLD.
GRADED in TERMS of the SERIOUSNESS of their STEALING; GRADE IV THIEVES had been STREALING for a LONG TIME, some for OVER 3 YEARS (22 CHILDREN), GRADE I THIEVES had only STOLEN ONCE (4 CHILDREN)
They were ALL of AVERAGE INTELLIGENCE
CONTROL GROUP= 44 CHILDREN who also ATTENDED the CLINIC- SIMILAR in AGE,SEX + IQ to the ‘THIEVES’ - altogether 88 CHILDREN ALL of whom was at CLINIC for EMOTIONAL PROBLEMS
MOTHERS ( of BOTH groups) were INVOLVED and INTERVIEWED to UNDERSTAND HISTORY of the CHILDREN.
CLASSIC EVIDENCE: BOWLBY (1944)- 44 JUVENILE THIEVES
PROCEDURES:
INITIAL EXAMINATION:
OPPORTUNITY SAMPLING was used to OBTAIN the SAMPLE
- On ARRIVAL to the CLINIC, EACH child was GIVEN a MENTAL TEST by a PSYCHOLOGIST to ASSESS their INTELLIGENCE and EMOTIONAL ATTITUDE.AT THE SAME TIME a SOCIAL WORKER INTERVIEWD the MOTHERS and RECORDED details of the CHILD’S EARLY PSYCHIATRIC HISTORY.
After , BOTH the PSCHOLOGIST and SOCIAL WORKER REPORTED to the PSYCHIATRIST, who then INTERVIEWED the MOTHER and CHILD. AFTER the 2-HOUR INTERVIEW, the TEAM CONSIDERED SCHOOL REPORTS and OTHERS and DISCUSSED their CONCLUSIONS.
THERAPY:
Following the EXAMINATION, the children CONTINUED to meet with the PSYCHIATRIST on a WEEKLY BASIS OVER a PERIOD of SIX MONTHS or MORE. Allowing MOTHERS to talk OVER their PROBLEMS with the SOCIAL WORKER, further ENABLING a DETAILED CASE HISTORY to be RECORDED which ALSO ENABLED THE PSYCHIATRIST to DIAGNOSE the CHILDREN.
CLASSIC EVIDENCE: BOWLBY (1944)- 44 JUVENILE THIEVES
FINDINGS
BOWLBY FOUND 6 MAIN PERSONALITY TYPES in his sample, 3 EXAMPLES are: NORMAL (appeared FAIRLY NORMAL+STABLE), DEPRESSED (UNSTABLE+DEPRESSED STATE OF MIND)
and AFFECTIONLESS (LACK OF SHAME+ SENSE OF RESPONSIBILITY).
BOWLBY found WITHIN THE 44 THIEVES 14 of them were AFFECTIONLESS, of these 14, 12 HAD EXPERIENCED PROLONGED SEPARATION from their MOTHER. From the 30 NON-AFFECTIONLESS only 3 HAD EXPERIENCED PROLONGED SEPARATION. ALTOGETHER 17 HAD EXPERIENCES SEPARATION.
CONSIDERING THE REMAINING 27 THEIVES, 17 of them had MOTHERS who were ‘EXTREMELY ANXIOUS and DOMINEERING’
CLASSIC EVIDENCE: BOWLBY (1944)- 44 JUVENILE THIEVES
CONCLUSIONS
FOUND there is a R’SHIP between EARLY SEPARATION and JUVENILE DELINQUNECY- BOWLBY concluded THEY would NOT have OFFENDED if they DID NOT have such POOR CHILDHOOD EXPERIENCES. Also FOUND that if the REALTIONS BETWEEN MOTHER and CHILD was DAMAGED then THIS COULS AFFECT the DEVELOPMENT of the SUPER-EGO which could lead to a DISTORTED, POOR UNDERSTANDING of RIGHT and WRONG.
EVALUATE PSYCHODYNAMIC APPROACH:
TWO STRENGTHS
(+) USEFUL: it highlights the fact that CHILDHOOD is an CRITICAL PERIOD OF DEVELOPMENT; who WE BECOME IS GREATLY INFLUENCED BY OUR CHILDHOOD experiences + it has been HELPFUL in UNDERSTANDING MENTAL HEALTH PROBLEMS eg MENTAL HEALTH can be caused by CHILDHOOD EXPERIENCES or UNCONCIOUS CONFLICTS.
(+) NATURE AND NURTURE: This APPORACH TAKES into account both NURTURE and NATURE. FREUED saw that the ADULT PERSONALITY as the PRODUCT of INNATE DRIVES (NATURE) and CHILDHOOD EXPERIENCES (NURTURE). To FREUD, the ID is INSTINCTUAL and the BIOLOGICAL ASPECT of our PERSONALITY. The INFLUENCE of NURTURE comes in the FORM of PSYCHSEXUAL STAGES that EVERY CHILD EXPERIENCES. In EACH STAGE , FRUSTRATION or OVER-INDULGENCE may LEAD to a FIXATION and PREDICTABLE ADULT PERSONALITY CHARACTERISTICS, this THEORY THEREFORE considers the INFLUENCE of NATURE+NURTURE.
EVALUATE PSYCHODYNAMIC APPROACH:
TWO WEAKNESSES
(-) DETERMINISTIC APPROACH: FREUD saw that INFANT BEHAVIOUR WAS DETERMINED BY LIBIDO and ADULT BEHAVIOUR BY CHILDHOOD EXPERIENCES and THUS SUGGESTS WE HAVE NO FREE WILL to how we BECOME OR BEHAVE. This is DETERMINISTIC as it sees that our PERSONALITY as PRE-DETERMINED by other FORCES THAT CANNOT BE CHANGED + WE DONT HAVE THE FREE WILL of OUR PERSONALITY and BEHAVIOUR. This is a WEAKNESS as WE ARE ABLE TO CHANGE HOW WE BEHAVE IF WE WANT TO. This approach may GIVE PEOPLE A PLAUSIBLE EXCUSE to BEHAVE UNREASONABLY or to EXCUSE CRIMINAL BEHAVIOUR as it IMPLIES they WERENT RESPONSIBLE FOR THEIR BEHAVIOUR.
(-) REDUCTIONIST- accused of MECHANISTIC DETERMINISM as it SIMPLIFIES COMPLEX HUMAN BEHAVIOUR to the MECHANICS OF THE MIND: TRIPARITE PERSONALITY and CHILDHOOD EXPERIENCES. It IGNORES the OTHER IMPORTANT INFLUENCES of BEHAVIOUR like BIOCHEMISTRY and GENETICS. During the 60s one of the EXPLANATIONS of AUTISM was due to MOTHERS BEING DISTANT FROM THEIR CHILD, this was an OVERSIMPLIFICATION of the PROCESS OF AUTISM and FOREGROUNDS the WEAKNESSES of this approach.
