The psychoanalytic theory elaborates the functioning of the human being with a large emphasis on the effect the psyche (personality) on the physical body. Freud’s theory of psychoanalysis is underpinned by the notion that a human being is always in conflict between the demand or the society and the drives emanating from his psyche. The psyche or personality of a person is made up of three distinct aspects namely, the id, ego, and superego. These aspects of a human personality accord to him some level of dynamism that is as a result of motivation, anxiety, defense mechanism, dreams and parapraxes (Bornstein, 2010).
Despite the harsh criticisms from sections of academic scholars, psychodynamic psychotherapy is a field that is well researched and its successes and method document for over 100 years. Further, application of psychoanalytic theory surpasses the confines of psychology and touches on to other fields –and probably all fields of study (Leichsenring, & Rabung, 2008; Leichsenring, & Rabung, 2011).
References
Bornstein, R. (2010). Psychoanalytic theory as a unifying framework for 21st century personality assessment. Psychoanalytic Psychology 27(2), 133-152
Gajic, T., Gajic, B.S., & Lopicic, Z. (2012). Psychodynamic psychotherapy in psychiatry: The missing link? Psychiatry Danubina, 24(3), 361-366.
Gerber, A., Kocsis, J., Milrod, B., Roose, S., Barber, J., Thase, M., Perkins, P., & Leon, A. (2011). A quality-based review of randomized controlled trials of psychodynamic psychotherapy. Am J Psychiatry 168, 19-28.
Leichsenring, F. & Rabung, S. (2008). Effectiveness of long-term psychodynamic psychotherapy: A meta-analysis. American Medical Association 300(13), 1551-1565.
Leichsenring, F. & Rabung, S. (2011). Long-term psychodynamic psychotherapy in complex mental disorders: Update of a meta-analysis. The British Journal of Psychiatry 199, 15-22.
