Psychodynamic approach evaluation.

Practical applications.(+)

Psychoanalysis is a treatment for mental illness derived from this approach, and this is credited as forming the basis of most types of psychotherapy used today.The assumption that mental illnesses are caused by repression of traumatic childhood memories suggests that, in order to treat the illness, such memories must be uncovered.Psychoanalysts use techniques like hypnosis and dream interpretation to access memories in the patient's unconscious mind. There's evidence also that psychoanalysis has been successful with many patients; Bergin found that 83% of patients receiving this therapy improved in their symptoms (compared to 30% of patients not receiving it). 

This means that, the psychodynamic approach has been valuable in improving the lives of people in the real-world.

It has supporting evidence.

Harris & Campbell's study of unplanned pregnancies backs up the idea that the unconscious mind can motivate behaviour, as it was found that women whose pregnancies were unplanned stood more to benefit from secondary gains (such as, enhancing their relationship with their partner) than those who were planned.

Also, Freud's case study of "Little Hans" supports up the idea that boys in the phallic stage of psychosexual development experience an Oedipus complex, as it was found that he'd directed his sexual desires towards his mother, and had a fear of his father (which had been displaced onto horses).

This means the psychodynamic approach could be accepted as a valid explanation for human behaviour.

It has methodological flaws.

Most of the evidence for the approach comes from case studies that focus on just one individual (who is usually suffering a mental illness); so such studies are unlikely to be representative of the general population. For example, just because Little Hans suffered an Oedipus complex doesn't mean all 5 year old males do. Another issue with this method is that the findings are subjective, meaning they're open to interpretation. Freud's interpretation that Han's phobia was a displaced Oedipus complex is contradicted by the behaviourist idea that perhaps he was operantly conditioned to fear horses after seeing one in a horrific accident. 

Also, many of the concepts explained in the approach can't be directly observed, such as the unconscious mind or the id/ego and superego. Because they can't be tested, they can't be proved to exist (or not exist), meaning they're not falsified.

This means the psychodynamic approach may not provide valid or reliable explanation of behaviour.

It's deterministic which is the opposite of free will.

Freud believed that all our behaviour is determined by factors we have no control over, namely our unconscious mind and the conflicts we experience in our childhood. In this sense, Freud claims all human behaviour is motivated by these things. An example is when we have a "Freudian slip"- such as calling a teacher "mum" instead of "miss"- according to Freud this isn't random or a mistake but has a hidden meaning and reveals what's going on in the unconscious. This type of displacement is called "psychic defence", and suggests that free will is an illusion.

The psychodynamic approach should therefore be regarded with caution, since it's controversial and extreme to take the position that humans have no free will.