Question

John is sufferring from the recurring fear that he will car will explode, like his mothers did years ago. Distingish between the psychoanalytic approach to psychotherapy for this problem and the behavioral approach to psychotherapy by answering the following questions 1) What would each approach identify as the root cause of the fear, and 2) how would the treatments differ?

Answer 1

The psychoanalytic approach focuses on repressed childhood trauma, while the behavioral approach emphasizes learned responses. Psychoanalytic therapy involves talk therapy and uncovering repressed memories, while behavioral therapy uses exposure techniques to reduce fear.

Step-by-step explanation:

The psychoanalytic approach to psychotherapy for John's fear of car explosions would identify the root cause as a repressed childhood trauma related to his mother's car explosion. According to Freud, the fear is a result of unresolved sexual conflicts from his childhood. The treatment would involve talk therapy, dream analysis, and free association to uncover and process the repressed memories and emotions.

On the other hand, the behavioral approach would identify the root cause of the fear as a learned response. It suggests that John's fear is a result of a traumatic event that has been conditioned to car explosions. The treatment would involve techniques such as systematic desensitization or exposure therapy to gradually reduce the fear response through repeated exposure to safe car-related stimuli.