Theories and Theoretical Frameworks: Overview

In the relatively short period of time that abnormal behavior has been the subject of scientific inquiry, there has been no single theory, model, or paradigm on which all have agreed. The history of abnormal psychology has been one of multiple theories, models, and paradigms, often conflicting yet also coexisting, each with its own general perspective and set of basic assumptions that have defined how to conceptualize and study psychopathology, how to gather and interpret relevant data, and how best to treat psychological disorders. This entry presents the leading theories that have guided researchers of abnormal behavior and provided the foundations for the many theory-based interventions that make up the field of clinical psychology.

Psychoanalytic and Psychodynamic Paradigms

Freud and Classical Psychoanalytic Theory

Sigmund Freud’s psychoanalytic theory was ...

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