Psychodynamic Theoretical Framework

The psychodynamic approach includes the theory of the person and the theory of therapeutic treatment. The psychodynamic theory of the person offers assumptions, theories, and formulations about human development, health, and psychopathology. This entry discusses the historical context of the psychodynamic theory of the person, features of major psychodynamic theory clusters, and major tenets of the theory.

A fundamental feature of all psychodynamic theories of the person is that overt behavior is influenced significantly by the person’s unconscious processes, such as wishes, drives, impulses, and feelings not experienced at a conscious level.

Historical Context

The terms psychodynamic and psychoanalytic theory are often used interchangeably, although subtle differences exist between them. Psychodynamic theory is the more encompassing of the two, including psychoanalytic theory and its derivatives. Sigmund Freud, ...

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