What is meant by the psychodynamic model of abnormality?

structures: id, ego and super ego and that suffering trauma can lead to the mind putting in place defence mechanisms to protect the ego such as projection, denial, repression and displacement. Children develop through a series of fixed stages: oral, anal and phallic, latency and genital. Kendler et al did a study and found evidence to support the model; that separation in childhood can cause problems in later life. However this evidence is not conclusive as it is not apparent for all separation in childhood. Kendler et al studied adult female twins who had suffered parental loss through separation in childhood showed an above average tendency to suffer form depression. There is evidence that stressful life events precede depression, but this can be accounted for by other psychological theories. There are many positive aspects about this model such as; it was the first model was the first to recognise the importance of psychological factors in causing mental disorders. It recognised that early adverse experiences can be a factor in adult mental disorders. It was also the first psychological model of abnormality. Despite these good factors there are also many negative factors that challenge this model, for instance this model overlooks current problems in the patient’s life and other external circumstances or situations they may be in. It ignores things that may have occurred in-between childhood and the time the patient is being treated. Freud under-emphasised social and personal factors involved in the patient’s life. The model also neglects to look at or take into consideration genetic factors. There are also a lot of concepts that have no evidence to support them such as the, id ego and superego. This model lacks scientific evidence. There are also some moral issues involved in this model as it suggests that individuals are not to blame for their disorder but implies that parents, carers or people involved in their childhood are. Another factor involved in evaluating this model is that the psychoanalysis of this model is entirely down to the psychologists’ interpretation as what the patient is saying. This means that whatever the therapist says is correct as if the patient disagrees the therapist can say that they are in denial. There is no evidence for Freud's contention that repressed anger would be experienced in dreams. This model also means that the patient may have to relive past experience that they wish to forget about. Overall I think that this model is very influential in psychology as it was the first psychological model it has much strengths but also has many limitations.