Psychodynamic Approach To Psychopathology Flashcards
Key assumptions of psychodynamic approach to psychopathology
- Mental disorders are caused by unresolved unconscious conflicts
- Our unconscious is made up of the ID, EGO and SUPEREGO. Mental disorders are caused by conflict between these features of our psyche.
- The roots of mental disorders usually lie in childhood events
- Conflict leads to the use of defence mechanisms
ID
The ID is the selfish and impulsive part of the psyche and wants to satisfy personal desires.
A strong ID could lead to addiction as the ID tries to satisfy desires through alcohol or sex
The Ego
The ego is the middle ground between the ID and Superego and tries to find a compromise between the two desires.
Those with a strong ego do not have a mental disorder.
The superego
The superego aims to please everyone else around them.
A strong ego could lead to anxiety disorder as they are concerned about what other people think about them.
Defence mechanisms
The ego uses defence mechanisms to protect us from painful emotions, however, these prevent us from solving the conflict so will keep the mental disorders going.
- Repression
- Denial
- Displacement
Repression
When a traumatic memory is pushed into the unconscious. For example, a traumatic event happening as a child may be pushed into the unconscious and ‘forgotten’ so that it does not upset the person.
Denial
When a person is aware of a traumatic even but refuses to acknowledge it. For example, a young person is aware that their parents fight but may deny it by saying that all parents argue and they are happy deep down
Displacement
When feelings of anger or anxiety towards somebody are deemed unacceptable, normally because the superego says so, and so those feelings are displaced into something more acceptable.
Strengths of the psychodynamic approach to psychopathology
:) The treatment allows patients to access their unconscious and encourages them to talk about their feelings, this has inspired other methods of treatment such as CBT
Limitations of psychodynamic approach to psychopathology
:( Untestable - there is no way to access the unconscious due to defence mechanisms
:( Other more objective theories better explain disorders
Psychoanalysis
Looks at resolving conflict by bringing the unconscious into the conscious
Free association and word association
Patient says whatever comes to mind and analysis interprets what the patient says to uncover the unconscious meaning.
Therapist pays close attention to hesitations as they mean that something is unconsciously being repressed.
Dream Analysis
Aims to uncover unconscious issues.
Patient describes dreams and the therapist uses symbols and events to uncover these unconscious conflicts.
Projective techniques
Where the patient is asked to respond to an ambiguous image and the therapist interprets the patients answers in response of what they say about the patients unconscious
Benefits of psychoanalysis
:) It allows patients to talk about their problems and feelings
:) The technique has been used to develop cognitive treatments to psychopathology
