Psychodynamic: Freud

Question 1

4 Assumptions of psychodynamic therapies

Answer 1

1. Behavior motivated by unconscious
2. Early devel strongly influences adult functioning
3. Universal principles explain personality devel and behav
4. Insight into unconscious key to psychotherapy.

Question 2

2 components of Freud’s personality theory

Answer 2

1. Structural (drive) theory

2. Development theory

Question 3

What are Freud’s personality structures, when do they devel, and what is each’s function.

Answer 3

1. Id - birth - pleasure principle - seeks gratification of instinctual drives
2. Ego - 6 months - reality principle - mediates conflicting demands of id and reality, realistic, rational, planning
3. Superego - 4-5 y.o. - society’s values/standards, via parents, attempts to block id

Question 4

Freud’s developmental theory stages and key points

Answer 4

• Stages: Oral, Anal, Phallic, Latency, Genital
• Id’s libido focused on each body part
• Anxiety - due to external or internal threat due to arising conflict btwn id’s impulses and demands of superego or reality
• Defense mechanisms - used when ego is unable to ward of danger rationally or realistically - operate unconsciously and distort reality - Rationalization - most common

Question 5

Freud’s view of maladaptive behavior

Answer 5

Unconscious unresolved conflict that occurred during childhood.
E.g., Phobia = displacement of anxiety onto an object or an event that is symbolic in unresolved conflict.

Question 6

Therapy goals and techniques

Answer 6

• Eliminate psych syms by brining unconscious into consciousness and integrating repressed material into personality
• Free Association, dreams, resistances, transferenes
  Psychic determinism - all behaviors are meaningful and serve some psychological function.

Question 7

Freud’s analysis: Techniques and improvement

Answer 7

• Techniques - confrontation, clarification, interpretation, and working through (gradually assimilate new insights into personality)
• improvement = catharsis, insight, and working through

Question 8

Current status of psychoanalysis

Answer 8

• Collaborative, egalitarian, and different view of transference and countertransference
• Time-limited, target a specific interpersonal problem, use interpretation early, emphasize strong working alliance.