NEO-FREUDIANS:Strengths, Weaknesses, NEO-FREUDIANS, Family Constellation

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Theory and Practice of Counseling - PSY632

LESSON 25

NEO-FREUDIANS

Link to Previous Lecture: Evaluation of Freudian Psychoanalysis

Strengths

· The importance of sexuality and the unconscious in human behavior.

· The approach lends itself to empirical studies. Freud's proposals have generated a tremendous

amount of research since the early 1900s. Usually psychoanalytic research is based on case histories

· Provides a theoretical base of support for a number of diagnostic instruments.

· The approach reflects the complexity of human nature.

· The approach has grown and developed through the years. There are several modified forms of

psychoanalysis, such as ego psychology or object-relations theories.

· The approach appears to be effective for those who suffer from a wide variety of disorders, such as

hysteria, narcissism, obsessive-compulsive reactions, character disorders, anxiety, phobias, and

sexual difficulties.

· The approach stressed the importance of developmental stages the knowledge of which is essential

for treatment plans. Moreover, this also provided basis for the development of other personality

theories, such as those of Erikson and Levinson.

· Some psychological tests, such as the Thematic Apperception Test or the Rorschach Ink Blots, are

rooted in psychoanalytic theory.

Weaknesses

Despite the unique emphases of psychoanalysis, most modern professional counselors do not use the

approach. The reasons are numerous, but among them are following limiting factors:

· Time consuming and expensive.

· The approach does not seem to lend itself to working with older clients.

· Based on many concepts not easily communicated or understood. These concepts not only are

difficult to test but also have inadequate evidence for their existence.

· Overemphasis on biology and unconscious forces

· Sexism

· Lack of Cross-cultural support

· The approach is deterministic.

· Counselors and psychologists without medical degrees have had a difficult time getting extensive

training in psychoanalysis.

· Feminist perspective argues that psychoanalytic therapy places too much emphasis on penis envy,

mother's responsibility for patient's problems.

NEO-FREUDIANS

Psychoanalytic theory represents one of the most sweeping contributions to the field of personality. Despite

its influence, Freud's followers developed opposing views and rejected many of his controversial concept,

for example, Adler was the first analyst to reject Freud' ideas in favor of social interest. Karen Horney,

Sullivan, and Eric Fromm are the psychoanalysts who developed a social-psychological view. They extended

Freud' views and are known as Neo-Freudian.

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Adlerian Counseling

Alfred Adler

Alfred Adler was born in 1870 in Penzing, Austria, a suburb of Vienna. He was a second of six children in a

middle-class Jewish family. Adler shared a close relationship with his mother until his younger brother was

born. Because he felt abandoned at that time, he sought the support of his father. Adler was also close to

his older brother, Sigmund.

Alder was a sickly child and was injured often. He was run over in the street, suffered from rickets, and

almost died of phenomena at age 5. At age 3, he witnessed the death of a younger brother. It is little wonder

that he was later attracted to the profession of medicine. To make up for his physical limitations, Adler

spent a great deal of his childhood outside playing with other children and went out of his way to cultivate

their friendship.

In 1895, he graduated in medicine from the University of Vienna. Adler was invited to join Freud's Vienna

Psychoanalysis Society where he quickly gained prominence. Adler always thought as a colleague rather than

a disciple of Freud. He disagreed early on with Freud's theoretical approach, especially the emphasis on

biology and sexuality. Adler developed a theoretical orientation that was less deterministic and more

practical and hopeful. In 1911 he formed his own group, Individual Psychology, because of differences with

Freud. He disagreed with the sexual etiology of neurosis and importance of instinctual drives.

View of Human Nature

Following are the important concepts of Adlerian Psychology:

· Family constellation and Environment

· Striving for superiority

· Social interest

· Life-Style

· Fictional finalism

Adler's view of human nature is much more positive than Freud's. Rather than being motivated by

instinctual drives, Adler thought that humans are primarily motivated by social interpersonal factors. His

theory holds that conscious aspects of behavior, rather than the unconscious are central to the development

of personality.

Family Constellation

His theory places considerable emphasis on birth order; those who share ordinal birth positions (for

example firstborn) may have more in common with one another that siblings from the same family. Five

ordinal positions are emphasized in Adlerian literature on the family constellation.

Firstborn

o Firstborn are initially the "reigning monarchs" of a family because they receive undivided

attention from parents. They are socialized to confirm, achieve, behave, and please. They

take responsibility when parents are absent and often act as parent substitutes in large

families. All firstborn experience the loss of their unique position in the family when a

second child is born.

Secondborns

o The position of secondborn is an enviable one, according to Adler, but does have

drawbacks. Secondborns never have to worry about issues of power and authority as

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firstborns do. Usually, these individuals are more outgoing, carefree, and creative and less

concerned with rules than firstborns.

Middle Children

o Children born in the middle positions of a family often feel alliances that an oldest or a

youngest child may form. These skills can prove useful for manipulating events to get what

they want and choosing areas where they can be successful.

Youngest Children

o Youngest children in the family have difficulties and opportunities that are different from

those of their older siblings. Youngest children receive a great deal of attention from

others, who are likely to cater to their needs. These children may become charmers but

may also have difficulty breaking out of the role of baby or family pet. They face the

danger of becoming spoiled. At the same time, youngest children may make great strides in

achieving because of role models provided by older siblings.

Only Children

o Any child born seven or more years apart from siblings is psychologically an only child.

These children, as a group, are never dethroned and are at an advantage, like oldest

children, in receiving a great deal of attention.

Family Environment

In addition to birth order, the family environment is important to a person's development, particularly in

the first five years of life.

· A negative family atmosphere might be authorization, rejective, suppressive, materialistic,

overprotective, or pitying.

· Perception of the family atmosphere, rather than any events themselves, is crucial to the

development of a style of life.

Srtriving for Superiority

Drive toward superiority is similar to self actualization but has nothing to do with achieving a position in

society. It pulls the individual through the developmental stages. Human beings strive for superiority as

their life goal. It is "the great upward drive". A major Adlerian tenet is that people strive to become

successful (that is the best they can be); therefore their behavior is goal directed and purposeful. There is

also a tendency for each person initially to feel inferior to others because of psychological or social

problems or actual physical disability. If this feeling is not overcome the person develops an inferiority

complex. In contrast a person who overcompensates for feelings of inferiority develops a superiority

complex which is what Adler also described as a neurotic fiction that is unproductive.

Social interest and Life Style

The judgment of self in relation to one's perception of status in the world begins to form patterns of

behavior that become one's life-style.

· Human beings are motivated by social rather than instinctual factors

· The judgment of self in relation to one's perception of status in the world begins to form patterns

of behavior that become one's life-style.

· The life-style is based on the individual's feelings of inferiority and striving to overcome a weakness

· Formed at the age of 4 or 5

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Teleological Goals and Fictional Finalism

Adler believed that people are as influenced by future (teleogical) goals as by past causes.

Fictional goal: The fiction is the subjective creation of the individual that offers a basis for action as if such

were a true assessment of reality

· Fictional finalism is the striving for this goal

Role of the Counselor

· Adlerian counselors function primarily as diagnosticians, teachers, and models in the equalitarian

relationships they establish with their clients. They try to assess why clients are oriented to a certain

way of thinking and behaving. The counselor makes an assessment by gathering information on the

family constellation and a client's earliest memories.

· The counselor then shares interpretations, impressions, opinions, and feelings with the client and

concentrates on promoting the therapeutic relationship.

· The client is encouraged to examine and change a faulty life-style by developing social interests.

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