Understanding Psychology (10th Ed)

 CONTEMPORARY PSYCHODYNAMIC APPROACHES 
Few people have the time, money, or patience to participate in years 
of traditional psychoanalysis. Moreover, no conclusive evidence 
shows that psychoanalysis, as originally conceived by Freud in the 
19th century, works better than other, more recent forms of psycho-
dynamic therapy. 
Today, psychodynamic therapy tends to be of shorter duration 
and usually lasts no longer than 3 months or 20 sessions. The thera-
pist takes a more active role than Freud would have liked by control-
ling the course of therapy and prodding and advising the patient with 
considerable directness. Finally, the therapist puts less emphasis on a 
patient’s past history and childhood and concentrates instead on an 
individual’s current relationships and specifi c complaints (Goode, 
2003; Charman, 2004; Wolitzky, 2006). 
EVALUATING PSYCHODYNAMIC THERAPY 
Even with its current modifi cations, psychodynamic therapy has its 
critics. In its longer versions, it can be time consuming and expensive, 
transference
The transfer of feelings 
to a psychoanalyst of love or anger 
that had been originally directed to a 
patient’s parents or other authority 
fi gures.
The close and intense relationship 
between therapist and patient may 
become highly complex.
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548 Chapter 
16 
Treatment of Psychological Disorders
especially in comparison with other forms of psychotherapy, such as behavioral and 
cognitive approaches. Furthermore, less articulate patients may not do as well as 
more articulate ones. 
Ultimately, the most important concern about psychodynamic treatment is 
whether it actually works, and there is no simple answer to this question. Psycho-
dynamic treatment techniques have been controversial since Freud introduced them. 
Part of the problem is the diffi culty in establishing whether patients have improved 
after psychodynamic therapy. Determining effectiveness depends on reports from the 
therapist or the patients themselves—reports that are obviously open to bias and 
subjective interpretation. 
Furthermore, critics have questioned the entire theoretical basis of psycho-
dynamic theory; they maintain that constructs such as the unconscious have not been 
scientifi cally confi rmed. Despite the criticism, though, the psychodynamic treatment 
approach has remained viable. For some people, it provides solutions to diffi cult 
psychological issues, provides effective treatment for psychological disturbance, and 
also permits the potential development of an unusual degree of insight into one’s 
life (Clay, 2000; Ablon & Jones, 2005; Bond, 2006).
Behavioral Approaches 
to Therapy
Perhaps, when you were a child, your parents rewarded you with an ice cream cone 
when you were especially good . . . or sent you to your room if you misbehaved. 
Sound principles back up such a child-rearing strategy: Good behavior is maintained 
by reinforcement, and unwanted behavior can be eliminated by punishment. 
These principles represent the basic underpinnings of  behavioral treatment