The Psychodynamic Approach: John Bowlby CONCLUSIONS

Question 1

What is the conclusion to be drawn?

Answer 1

the conclusion to be drawn is that the children would not have become offenders if they had not had experiences that were harmful to healthy development

Question 2

What view did Bowlby subscribe to and what is it?

Answer 2

Bowlby subscribed to the psychoanalytic (psychodynamic view) that early experiences are of vital importance in later developmnet

Question 3

What was the particular early experience Bowlby focused on?

Answer 3

the relationship between a mother and child, and the importance this has in emotional developmnet

Question 4

What did Bowlby propose that damage to the relationship between a mother and child would affect?

Answer 4

damage to this relationship would affect the development of the superego, leading to a reduced sense of right and wrong

Question 5

What is juvenile delinquency undoubtedly the consequence of?

Answer 5

many and complex factors, such as poverty, bad housing and lack of recreational facilities

Question 6

What has this study placed an emphasis on?

Answer 6

this classic study has placed an emphasis on psychoanalytic factors, ie early experiences

Question 7

What is the implication if the findings of this study are correct?

Answer 7

the implication is that treatment should be offered to delinquents, though this process is extremely slow and difficult
- the earlier the diagnosis is made the better for treatment

Question 8

What is a preferable approach to help juvenile delinquency?

Answer 8

prevention rather than treatment
- the prolonged separation of a mother and her child may on occasion be unavoidable, eg mother’s death, ill health, social circumstances