Biomaterial Database

Can clinical psychoanalysis be scientific? 1987

C Paniagua

Criticism of psychoanalysis as a scientific discipline has increased recently. Even though psychoanalytic theory deserves ample criticism by the scientific community for its ambiguous definitions, deficient construct validity and precarious operationalization of its procedures, as long as there are clinical observables susceptible of recording, psychoanalysis remains in the realm of science. The scientific merit is reviewed of some psychoanalytic concepts such as repression, the unconscious, psychic structures, and intrapsychic conflict. The possibility of objectivity, prediction, and confirmation of hypotheses is discussed.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D011573	Psychoanalytic Interpretation	Utilization of Freudian theories to explain various psychologic aspects of art, literature, biographical material, etc.	Interpretation, Psychoanalytic,Psychoanalytical Interpretation,Interpretation, Psychoanalytical,Interpretations, Psychoanalytic,Interpretations, Psychoanalytical,Psychoanalytic Interpretations,Psychoanalytical Interpretations
D011575	Psychoanalytic Therapy	A form of psychiatric treatment, based on Freudian principles, which seeks to eliminate or diminish the undesirable effects of unconscious conflicts by making the patient aware of their existence, origin, and inappropriate expression in current emotions and behavior.	Balint Psychoanalytic Therapy,Psychoanalytic Therapy, Balint,Psychoanalytical Therapy,Therapy, Balint Psychoanalytic,Therapy, Psychoanalytic,Psychoanalytic Therapies,Psychoanalytical Therapies,Therapies, Psychoanalytic,Therapies, Psychoanalytical,Therapy, Psychoanalytical
D012094	Repression, Psychology	The active mental process of keeping out and ejecting, banishing from consciousness, ideas or impulses that are unacceptable to it.	Delayed Memory,False Memory Syndrome,Repressed Memory,Repression,Delayed Memories,False Memory Syndromes,Memories, Delayed,Memories, Repressed,Memory Syndrome, False,Memory, Delayed,Memory, Repressed,Psychology Repression,Syndrome, False Memory
D002657	Child Development	The continuous sequential physiological and psychological maturing of an individual from birth up to but not including ADOLESCENCE.	Infant Development,Development, Child,Development, Infant
D003220	Conflict, Psychological	The internal individual struggle resulting from incompatible or opposing needs, drives, or external and internal demands. In group interactions, competitive or opposing action of incompatibles: antagonistic state or action (as of divergent ideas, interests, or persons). (from Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary, 10th ed)	Conflict, Psychology,Psychological Conflict,Psychological Conflicts
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D012586	Science	The study of natural phenomena by observation, measurement, and experimentation.	Sciences
D014167	Transference, Psychology	The unconscious transfer to others (including psychotherapists) of feelings and attitudes which were originally associated with important figures (parents, siblings, etc.) in one's early life.	Psychological Transference,Transference (Psychology),Psychological Transferences,Psychology Transference,Psychology Transferences,Transference, Psychological,Transferences (Psychology),Transferences, Psychological,Transferences, Psychology
D014473	Unconscious, Psychology	Those forces and content of the mind which are not ordinarily available to conscious awareness or to immediate recall.	Psychological Unconscious,Subconscious,Unconscious (Psychology),Psychology Unconscious,Unconscious, Psychological