SCWK8836 · Social Work

Psychodynamic Theories of Individual Development

School of Social Work

Elective An advanced course that provides an overview of the psychodynamic theories that best explicate individual psychological development over the life cycle from a biopsychosocial perspective, with attention given to sources of development of individual strength and resilience. These theories include drive theory, ego psychology, object relations, self psychology, and intersubjectivity theory. Students will begin to learn to critique and compare theories for their applications to, and usefulness for, social work practice as they reflect particular sets of values and intersect with ethnicity, social class, gender, sexual orientation, religion, age, disability, and other forms of diversity.