A Triad of Conceptual Models for Formulating and Teaching Psychodynamics
WILLIAM L. PELTZ M.D.1
1 Professor of Clinical Psychiatry, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pa. 19104
Many psychiatrists, psychiatric residents, and medical students experience difficulty in formulating the psychodynamics of their patients. Three conceptual models are presented as guides in formulating or teaching psychodynamics: a psychogenetic model which traces the origins, development, and lifespan of the individual; a model which involves the concept of the structures of personality; and a model of emotional interaction. Brief examples are presented to illustrate the use of each.
