Specificity of psychoanalytic hypotheses regarding the onset of adolescent psychoses: an empirical test of a psychodynamic model.
The specificity of psychodynamic hypotheses regarding the onset of adolescent psychosis was assessed in a group of rigorously diagnosed psychotic (N = 75) and depressed (N = 53) adolescents. None of the four operationally defined psychodynamic hypotheses purported to be etiologically specific in the onset of adolescent psychotic illness: success and its opportunities; intimacy and its attempts; intent to act autonomously; or involved in insight-oriented psychotherapy was more commonly observed in the psychotic than the depressed group, thereby not supporting the hypotheses. The consequences of this finding are discussed.
Kutcher
S
S
Department of Psychiatry, Sunnybrook Health Science Centre, University of Toronto Clinic, Ontario, Canada.
Marton
P
P
Szalai
J
J
Kennedy
B
B
D000293:Adolescent; D001714:Bipolar Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology*; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008016:Life Change Events; D008297:Male; D010553:Personality Development; D011574:Psychoanalytic Theory; D011575:Psychoanalytic Therapy; D011618:Psychotic Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology*; D012307:Risk Factors; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000175:diagnosis*; D012565:Schizophrenic Psychology; D012931:Social Environment