Varieties of Psychoanalytic Research (309)

Instructor: Paul Brinich, Ph.D.

Distance Learners Welcome; Instructor is teaching remotely; all-Zoom course

Psychoanalysis often is criticized because its concepts are difficult to operationalize in ways that are deemed reliable and valid. It cannot be subjected to the kind of double-blind, placebo-controlled studies that are in vogue in the pharmaceutical kingdom.

This course will present evidence regarding the efficacy of psychoanalysis. It will illustrate how concepts derived from psychoanalysis have fueled meaningful research in the social and biological sciences (including neuroscience).

The course also will critique so-called empirically supported treatments (ESTs) and will address the inability of the DSM-5 to meaningfully illuminate the problems experienced by the people who come to us for help.

Prerequisite:  This is an advanced course is intended for clinicians who have completed the core curriculum.  Applicants who do not meet this requirement can register for the course with permission of the instructor.

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Where:    meets remotely
When:     8 sessions, tentatively March 17 - May 5, 2020 
Time:       7:10 - 8:40 pm
CME Credits: 12 / CE: 12 clock hours / NBCC: 12 clock hours / All others: Letter of Attendance

About the Instructor: Paul Brinich, PhD 

Course Syllabus: click here

Registration and Tuition Deadline deadline is March 10. 
$25 Registration Fee is due at time of application.
Tuition: $315
$235 for students matriculated in the training programs 
$290 for residents and graduate students
Payment plans can be arranged with the Administrator
Matriculated students aren't charged a course registration fee.  Students who register for more than one course in a semester pay only one registration fee.  In special circumstances we may accept registrations after the registration deadline, but there will be an additional $20 late registration fee.
Course Cancellation Policy

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Course Learning Objectives: Upon completion, class participants will be able to:

1. Discuss the merits of using statistical aggregation of clinicians’ experiences as a basis for validating treatment.
2. Describe for what disorders randomly controlled trails seem to be the preferred method of validation.
3. Discuss the relative values of using qualitative and quantitative methods for validation of psychoanalytic treatment.
4. Discuss the paradox between the privileged status given to empirical validation placed on psychoanalysis with the opposing view of the importance of exploration of individuality that does not lend itself to empirical exploration. 
5. Describe how the use of case studies might enhance the validation of psychoanalytic treatment.
6. Describe some of the studies which support the efficacy of psychodynamic/psychoanalytic treatment.
7. Describe advances in neuroscience which have enabled exploration of the efficacy of treatment.
8. Discuss the impact of the lack of consensus concerning what constitutes analytic process has on the validation of psychoanalytic treatment.
9. Discuss what research has demonstrated about the nature of psychoanalytic education.
10. Discuss whether research has been able to discern the impact of differing intensities or lengths of treatment.

CE & CME Information: