Essay on Anna Freud: Basic Information and Contributions to Psychology

She was withdrawn from her siblings especially Sophie

She experienced chronic eating disorders, and depression thus attended most health camps during summers

She was closer to her father than her mother which lead to her pursue of studying psychoanalysis and thus developing psychoanalytical theory and practice

Family Background

Jewish religious background: She believed that religious beliefs could help shape a childs ego and thus determine the way he or she copes and controls stress and anxiety; and that the religious environment either gives a secure or insecure environment in which the child either learns to share or keep his/her stressing experiences. For example, through sublimation which is a form of repression and is an important psychological defense mechanism.

Sigmund Freud (1856- 1939), Annas father: Australian Neurologist who founded psychoanalysis. He was the main source of motivation for Anna Freud to pursuing child psychoanalysis. He also influenced her regarding religion where she supported the notion that in psychology, neurosis was majorly influenced by religion.

Education background

Honorary in Doctor of Medicine from University of Vienna, (1975)

Honorary in Doctorate of Science from Jefferson Medical College, (1964)

Honorary in Doctor of Law from Clark University, (1950)

Acquired most psychoanalysis knowledge throughout her development from her father

Finished Secondary education at Cottage Lyceum in Vienna, (1912)

Major written works

Beating Fantasies and Daydreams 1922

Introduction to Psychoanalysis

Lectures for Child Analysts and Teachers (1922- 1935)

The Theory of Child Analysis. 1928 [1927]

The Ego and The Mechanisms of Defense (1936) 1966

Infants Without Families

Reports on the Hampstead Nurseries (1939- 1945)

Indicators for Child Analysis and Other Papers 1945- 1956

Emotional and Instinctual development 1947

Aggression in Relation to Emotional Development: normal and pathological. 1949 [1947]

The Significance Of The Evolution Of Psychoanalytic Child Psychology 1950

The Mutual Influences in the Development of Ego and Id: Introduction to the Discussion. 1952 [1951]

Research At The Hampstead Child-Therapy Clinic and other Papers (1956- 1965)

The Contribution of Direct Child Observation to Psychoanalysis 1957

Normality and Pathology in Childhood

Assessment of Development 1965

The ego and the mechanisms of defense 1966 [1936]

Problems of Psychoanalytic Training, Diagnosis and Technique of Therapy (1966- 1970)

Psychoanalytic Psychology of Normal Development

Timeline of major life events

During WWII- Studied development of homeless children

1912- 1917: Classroom Teacher at her Alma Mata

1922: Presented Beating Fantasies and Daydreams at The Hague to the Vienna Psychoanalytic Society and became a member

1927- 1934: Affiliation with the International Psychoanalytical Association; as the General Secretary

1935- 1938: Affiliation with Vienna Psychoanalytical Training Institute

1941- 1945: Affiliation with The Hampstead War Nursery

In 1947, she ventured into her course of child psychoanalysis

1947: Establishment of Hampstead Child Therapy Courses and Childrens Clinic

1952: She established her clinic in

1953- 1982: Affiliation with The Hampstead Child Therapy Clinic

1956-1965: Research at the Hampstead Child-Therapy Clinic

1967: Awarded a C.B.E. by Queen Elizabeth II

1967: Problems of Psychoanalytic Training, Diagnosis and the Technique of Therapy

1968: Publication of Collected Works

1970: The Psychoanalytic Theory of Normal Development

1973: Honorary as president of the International Psychoanalytic Association

Contribution of the field of Psychology

Basic Information and Contributions

Influenced by his fathers work, Anna grew up with a major focus on improving psychology, psychoanalysis, especially for children. This passion was majorly inflicted by the psychoanalysis session she had, which was conducted by his father in 1910.

Her major contribution was The Ego and the Mechanisms of Defense: expounding on the role of the ego as a major defense tool against psychological pressures.

Basic philosophy outline

She described the defense mechanism of repression developed by a child as he/she learns the negative impacts that some impulses can pose on him/herself. Additionally, she pioneered the aggressive impulses, projection, aggressive impulses and identification mechanisms of psychological defense.

Definition of Terms:

used as defense mechanisms in psychology:

Repression- the process of conquering anxiety-provoking thoughts

Projection- the phenomenon in which one can see his/her negative qualities in another person

Displacement- the phenomenon in which a person can transfer negative feelings onto another person

Regression- the process through which one can revert to a psychologically younger age

Identification- the process through which a person incorporates a thought or an object into oneself; it is entailed in repression

Rationalization- the process through which one can justify his or her behaviors and motivations by substituting acceptable or good reasons in place of the actual motivations; it is part of repression

Sublimation: the process of expressing anxiety in the ways acceptable by the society in question

Reaction formation: the process in which the individual reacts in the opposite way to his or her unconscious instructions

Used to define the structures of personality or psyche:

Superego- the center of internalized parental and societal norms and standards of wrong and right, good and bad behavior. In this case, the superego incorporates the conscious, at times unconscious appreciation of laws, rules, and regulations around us.

Id- the unconscious pool of instincts and psychic process fuels and energy; libido. It edifies gratification, pleasure, and selfishness.

Ego- this acts as the moderator between morals initiated by the superego and the pleasure-oriented thoughts initiated by the Id. It is the individuals intellect of place and time.

Psychologists Influenced

Markedly, psychologists such as Anna Dorothy, Edith Jackson, and Kate Friedlander who mostly collaborated in her psychological advances. On a broader basis, the theory led to the influential development of the Freudian Psychology which has become the backbone of child psychology.

Theory behind the contributions

The major applications of her theory were and still are crucial in analyzing the adolescents and adolescents in child psychology. In essence, the fact that the field of child psychology was untapped majorly gives the reason why Anna ventured into this research.

The theory was used to study feeding patterns in children, how children used the freedom to organize their play, and finally how they handled total freedom of expression, movement, and eating. All of which resulted to what is now adopted as a mechanism of defense in psychology, especially repression. Therefore, the theory shaped the psychology to what it has grown to be nowadays.

Quotes by Anna Freud

Creative minds have always been known to survive any bad training. --- The quote encourages me to pursue creativity in life through having passion in all that I want to do as I strive towards being successful in my life.

I was always looking outside myself for strength and confidence, but it comes from within. It is there all the time. --- This quote motivates me and encourages me to being confident and believing in myself in life and in all that I do.

Sometimes the most beautiful thing is precisely the one that comes unexpectedly and unearned, hence given truly as a present. --- The quote hits me at a personal level and helps me appreciate the importance of true relationships, which are the only sources of true and genuine presents.

In our dreams, we can have our eggs cooked exactly how we want them, but we cannot eat them. --- This quote emphasizes the importance of noticing the thin line between reality and fantasy while creating holding on to ones dreams as they are necessary for our psychological development.

Create around one at least a small circle where matters are arranged as one wants them to be. --- This quote advises on the importance of having necessary and helpful people and nurturing environment for ones development especially psychologically.

It is only when parental feelings are ineffective or too ambivalent or when the mothers emotions are temporarily engaged elsewhere that children feel lost. --- The quote is important in psychology as it challenges the parents to be on the outlook of their childrens personal lives and development so that they can guide them to making the appropriate decisions for their (childrens) psychological well-being.

Summary

Since her childhood, Anna Freud had the drive towards venturing into psychology. Everything about her childhood was intertwined to what would be her specialty. From her character traits to the disorder she had; from her strong relationship with her father to the resources that were made present by her father, it was a preset path that she was going to take in life. From my point of view, she was a committed, enthusiastic, focused and big-hearted and she followed the path to impacting psychology wholeheartedly. I could term her as a legend in psychology especially child psychoanalysis.

Commentary

Anna Freud developed a strong theory that formed the basis of child psychology. The major strength of her work being the introduction of a novel perspective of child psychology which has led to the Freudian Psychology. The only weakness would be that she did not expound to how the concepts can be projected in adulthood psychological cases. However, I am inspired by the work of Anna Freud, and if I were to have a moment with her, I would ask her how she was able to overcome fear at such an early age and pursue her lifetime dreams in the world full of opposes.

References

Anna Freud Biography. (2017). Goodtherapy.org. Retrieved 8 March 2017, from http://www.goodtherapy.org/famous-psychologists/anna-freud.html

Anna Freud Quotes - BrainyQuote. (2017). BrainyQuote. Retrieved 8 March 2017, from https://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/authors/a/anna_freud.html

Encyclopedia of Religious, Esoterical and Spiritual Development FREUD, ANNA. (2009). Exhumator.com. Retrieved 8 March 2017, from http://exhumator.com/00-098-00_esoteric-religious-spiritual-freud-anna.html

The Freud Museum ~ Education ~ Anna Freud. (2017). Freud Museum. Retrieved 8 March 2017, from https://www.freud.org.uk/education/topic/40053/anna-freud/