Psychodynamic treatment for depression & Evaluation Flashcards
What technique is used in psychoanalysis?
Free association
Who was this technique devised by?
It was originally devised by Sigmund Freud.
What are patients encouraged to do during the psychodynamic treatment for depression?
In free association, psychoanalytic patients are invited to relate whatever comes into their minds during the analytic session, and not to censor their thoughts.
What does the technique intend to do?
This technique is intended to help the patient learn more about what he or she thinks and feels, in an atmosphere of non-judgmental curiosity and acceptance
What does the technique involve?
This therapeutic technique based involves diagnosing and treating mental and emotional disorders through making sense of and analysing the patient’s present and past mental life and emotional experiences.
Evaluate in terms of effectiveness.
Very effective as gets to the root of the problem instead of just treating the symptoms. The analyst can uncover defence mechanisms that are affecting behaviour and this may hold the key to helping the patient’s behaviour to improve. For example, a repressed memory may be brought out of the unconscious mind meaning the patient becomes aware of it and can then work through it and overcome it.
Evaluate in terms of usefulness.
it can work for a number of disorders. For example, disorders such as phobias, compulsions, obsessions, anxiety, depression and sexual dysfunctions respond well to psychoanalysis. However it does seem to be less suitable for other disorders such as severe depression or schizophrenia as well as for people with addictions or substance dependency.
Evaluate in terms ethics.
it may not be suitable for every individual. One reason for this is that free association often involves discussion of early childhood experiences since this is where Freud believed many of our problems stem from. Some individuals may not wish to talk about their childhood because it was traumatic and it may be painful for them to remember details. (give an eg)
Evaluate in terms of subjectivity.
it is a very subjective process since the interpretation of the analyst could be biased. Eg, during free association the analyst will determine the meaning of the patient’s responses to determine that causes of their abnormality. This technique may use leading questions and therefore resulting in distortions of memory.
What studies showed limited effectiveness? (1977)
Smith & Glass (1977) found that free association was more effective than no therapy but had slightly lower success rates than other therapies showing limited effectiveness for free association.
What studies showed limited effectivenss (1975)
Sloane (1975) found free association to be most effective for clients with less severe problems showing limited effectiveness for free association.
