105A: Technique I: Basics of Psychoanalytic Diagnosis

Course Description

Instructors

Lisa Deutscher, M.D.

September 13 – September 27, 2023
Wednesdays, 8:35 – 10:00 pm

Course Description

This course will explore how different approaches to psychoanalytic diagnosis can be used clinically, and how they differ from psychiatric diagnosis, with which the students may be more familiar. We will start with Freud’s 1916 writing on Character Types, paying particular attention to The Exception as an example of how a person’s whole mode of operating may be guided by a largely unconscious overarching idea. We then move on to review parts of the PDM and examine its focus on assessing a range of functioning, including mental life. We will make use of David Shapiro’s approach as outlined in Neurotic Styles to look at the whole person and the continuum from functional adaptations to neurosis to more severe pathology. We will also examine one or two syndromes by way of a case presentation, but we will not attempt to review all of the diagnostic categories.

Course Objectives

Upon completion of this course, participants should be able to:

  1. describe the historical development of psychoanalytic diagnosis, including the contributions of ego psychology and object relations points of view.
  2. differentiate between psychiatric and psychoanalytic diagnosis, paying attention to the differences in concepts of psychopathology as well as the use  of the interaction between analyst and patient in psychoanalysis.

Evaluation Method

Each student’s participation in class discussion and demonstration of understanding of the course objectives, readings and clinical material is assessed in a written evaluation by the instructor(s).

Schedule of Classes & Course Readings

These articles are protected under relevant copyright regulations. They are available in the New York Psychoanalytic Society & Institute Electronic Reserve for your convenience, and for your personal use.

READINGS ARE CONFIRMED.

I. Overview of Psychoanalytic Diagnosis

CLASS 1: September 13, 2023

Freud, S. (1916). Some Character-Types Met with in Psycho-Analytic Work. The Standard Edition of the Complete Psychological Works of Sigmund Freud, Volume XIV (1914-1916): On the History of the Psycho-Analytic Movement, Papers on Metapsychology and Other Works, 309-333. [Read especially pp. 310-315]

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Lingiardi, V. & McWilliams, N. (2017). Psychodynamic Diagnostic Manual (Second Edition). New York: Gillford Press. Introduction, 1-14 , Comparison of PDM-2 with other Diagnostic Systems, 68-74 .

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SUPPLEMENTAL READINGS

Frances, A. (2018). Commentary on the Psychodynamic Diagnostic Manual, 2nd Edition: The PDM-2 as an Effort to Enhance the Psychiatric Diagnosis. Psychoanalytic Psychology. (3):296-298.

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II. Levels of Personality Organization

CLASS 2: September 20, 2023
REQUIRED READINGS

McWilliams, N. (1994).  Psychoanalytic Diagnosis: Understanding personality structure in the clinical process. New York: The Guilford Press. [Read Chapter 2: Psychoanalytic Character Diagnosis, 19-39]

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Kernberg, O. (1984).  Severe Personality Disorders. New Haven: Yale U. Press.  [Read Chapter 1: Structural Diagnosis, pp. 3-26]

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SUPPLEMENTAL READINGS

Kernberg, O., and Caligor, E. (2005). A Psychoanalytic Theory of Personality Disorders in M.F. Lenzenweger and J.F. Clarkin, (Eds.), Major Theories of Personality Disorders, The Guilford Press.

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III. The Whole Patient

CLASS 3: September 27, 2023

These readings will be discussed in the context of a case presentation during this class.

REQUIRED READINGS

Shapiro, D. (1965). Introduction. In Neurotic Styles. New York: Basic Books, pp. 1-22.

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Shapiro, D. (1965). Obsessive-Compulsive Style. In Neurotic Styles. New York: Basic Books, pp. 23-53.

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ADDITIONAL SUPPLEMENTAL READINGS

Kernberg, O. (2018). Commentary on the Psychodynamic Diagnostic Manual, 2nd Edition: What Does the PDM-2 Add to the Current Diagnostic Panorama? Psychoanalytic Psychology, 35(3):294-295.

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McWilliams, N., Grenyer, B., Shedler, J. (2018). Personality in PDM-2: Controversial Issues. Psychoanalytic Psychology, 35(3):299-305

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