Current Paradigms in
Psychopathology and Therapy
Thomas G. Bowers, Ph.D.
Current Paradigms

An overview:
 Biological
 Psychoanalytic
 Humanistic
 Learning
 Cognitive
& existential
Biological

Medical or disease
model
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Sprang from germ
theory
Contemporary
approaches

Behavioral genetics
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Genotypes
Phenotypes
Diathesis
Twin studies (MZ v. DZ)
Biological
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Biochemistry of CNS
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Neurons
Neurotransmitters
Synapse
Evaluation

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Physiology is tempting
Problems in
reductionism
Psychoanalysis

Classical theory

Psyche
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Id
Ego
Superego
Motivated by psychic
energy

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Libido
Unconscious
Psychoanalytic

Stages of
psychosexual
development
Oral (-18 months)
 Anal (18- 36 months)
 Phallic (age 3 - 5)
 Latency (~6 – 12)
 Genital (13 +)


Fixation can occur,
and regression under
stress
Psychoanalytic

Complexes
 Oedipus
 Electra

Some therapeutic aspects
 Transference
 Countertransference
 Lengthy
treatment
Psychoanalytic

Evaluation
 Critical
views, but fundamental aspects of
psychoanalysis may be useful
Humanistic and Existential

Roger’s clientcentered view
Positive view of human
kind
 Unconditional positive
regard
 Empathy
 Genuineness

Gestalt therapy
 Difficult to evaluate

Learning Theories
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Behaviorism
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Later developments

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Classical conditioning
– Pavlov
Operant conditioning –
Watson
Thorndike
Mediational models
Behavior therapy

Strong empirical basis
Learning Theories

Behaviorism

Skinner’s Theoretical
Contributions
Cognitive Theories

Basis

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Refers to schema
(cognitive set)
Developed by Beck,
Ellis
Strong empirical basis
for treatment
Attempts at Integration

Diathesis-stress model
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Eclecticism