Paradigms: Psychoanalytic Psychology: Not Dead Yet

Paradigms 1 v Viewpoints v Models v Perspectives v Approaches

Paradigms 2 v Same behaviour can be viewed in different ways by different paradigms v Determine the causes, treatments, what should be studied v Can decrease information exchange v Determines what information is viewed as important

Paradigms Determine: v How we approach understanding behaviour v The viewpoints we adopt v The data we perceive and utilize v Theoretical models we develop v Research questions v The methods used

Myths in Clinical Psychology v Freud –Sexual Abuse, Hysteria, Women theorists –(Horney, Anna Freud, Mahler, Jacobson) v Psychoanalysis is dead v Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy, also known as Psychodynamic Psycho- therapy, is dead v Evidence only for CBT

Divisions in American Psychological Association v 54 Divisions v Examples: Experimental Psychology, Developmental Psychology, Personality and Social Psychology v Division 39 Psychoanalysis: “ represents, within the broad field of psychology, professionals who identify themselves as having a major commitment to the study, practice and development of psychoanalysis and psychoanalytic psychotherapy

Sections in Canadian Psychological Association v 30 Sections v Section: Psychoanalysis and Psychodynamic Psychology: This section was formed in 2002 to provide a place for those interested in psychoanalytic theory, research, and practice to share ideas.

v We are represented at the CPA’s annual convention, provide a forum for membership exchange, publish a newsletter, and sponsor international awards in psychoanalytic and psychodynamic leadership, scholarship, and student achievement.

Myths in Clinical Psychology v None of early psychodynamic (e.g., Freud) theories or components of theories are in use today v Psychodynamic/Psychoanalytic non empirical

Journals Publishing Empirical Work on Psychoanalysis and Psychodynamic Psychology v APA: Psychoanalytic Psychology American Journal of Psychoanalysis International Journal of Psychoanalysis Psychoanalysis

Bornstein (2005) Psychoanalytic ( ) v Unconscious memory v Primary process thought v Object representation v Repression v Preconscious processing v Parapraxis v Repetition compulsion v Ego v Ego defense Revision or reinvention v Implicit memory v Spreading activation v Person schema v Cognitive avoidance v Preattentive processing v Retrieval error v Nuclear script v Central executive v Defensive attribution

Myths in Clinical Psychology v Empirical support only for Behavioral treatments or Cognitive Behavioral treatments

Myths in Clinical Psychology v Projectives, like Rorschach or TAT, are not appropriate for use and not used in clinical psychology

Watkins et al. (1995) Camera et al. (2000) N = 179 Clinical Interview1 (95%) Not included in study Wechsler Adult Intel. Scale2 (93%)1 (85%) MMPI-23 (85%)2 (77%) Sentence Completion4 (84%) TAT5 (82%)6 (60%) Rorschach6 (82%)4 (69%) Bender – Gestalt7 (80%)5 (63%) Drawing Tests8 (80%)8 (36%) Beck Depression Inventory9 (71%)10 (30%) Weschler Intell Scale for Kids10 (69%)3 (75%) Wide Range Achievement Test-7 (48%) Wechsler Memory Scale-9 ((32%) Rank Order of Tests Used in Internship Sites

Myths in Clinical Psychology v Clinical psychologists essentially same as psychiatrist or other mental health professionals

Shedler: That was Then, This is Now v Important Points: –1. Misconception –2. Not one psychoanalysis –3. Major Features u Unconscious u Conflict u Past Influences Present u Transference u Defense u Psychological Causation v

Shedler Seven Features v Focus on affect v Exploration of attempts to avoid v Identification of themes and patterns v Past experience v Focus on interpersonal relations v Focus on therapy relationship v Exploration of fantasy life

Goals of Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy v Therapeutic Relationship v Change to personality and character structure v Aid in bringing relevant unconscious material to consciousness v Supportive or exploratory

Vehicles for Change v Observation, Interpretation, & Confrontation v Transference v Resistance

Contemporary Psychodynamic or Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy v Focus not on impulses but on interpersonal or attachment styles v Attempt to have people become aware of their interpersonal styles and their impact on others and themselves

Nancy McWilliams Video

Commonalities Among Psychodynamic Therapies v Psychopathology, signs, and symptoms derive from personality and character. –Psychic Determinism v Early development of relationships –Genetic Principle v Unconscious v Emotion/Affect

v Relating to others and self –Transference & Counter-transference

v Object Relations v Self Psychology