The Scientific Status of the Freudian Theory
Sigmund Freud, in spite of the never-ending controversy and debate, remains one of the most influential figures in psychotherapy. Research indicates, for example, that a substantial number of clinicians continue to identify with the therapeutic tradition he started over 100 years ago (Garfield & Bergin, 1994). The continuing influence of Freud is especially impressive when one considers the changing practice environment which emphasizes short-term intervention and the use of treatment approaches with strong scientific support. On both counts, psychoanalytic or dynamic therapies would appear to fall seriously short of the demands being made on modern practitioners. In fact, the psychoanalytic movement has, itself, had a rather schizophrenic relationship to science. For example, some leading thinkers believe that the theories and techniques should be subject to the same scientific standards as every other therapeutic approach while others take the position that the "truths" of psychoanalysis cannot be evaluated using conventional empirical means.

In 1998-9, the scientific state of Freudian Theory was reviewed . Each update brought new information and in-depth analysis of the various components of the theories and techniques originally developed by Sigmund Freud. The primary sources for the material that appeared were two exhaustive works by Seymour Fisher and Roger Greenberg (1977, 1997).

Here is the key to the graph:

= no support =Moderate support

=slight support =Good support

=some support =Strong support

The Theory or Technique:	The Research says:	The Results:
Dreams: Serve as containers of secret, unconscious wishes.	There is no convincing evidence that the dream is a wishful core (nested in a defensive facade) that can be decoded through free associations.
Oedipus Conflict: Because they have no castration anxiety to resolve, girls have an underdeveloped sense of morality.	The opposite is true--if anything females may have an overdeveloped sense of morality as compared to men
The "Death Instinct": People have a desire to suffer.	People don't want to suffer. Rather, they look for anyway to relieve their pain and often take the first choice without thinking carefully.
Penis Envy: Women have a less developed moral sense because they lack castration anxiety	No evidence whatsoever that females have a less developed moral sense. In fact, the opposite appears to be true.
General Theories of Pathology: Freud variously attributed neurosis to repressed sexual impulses, fixation at an early stage of development, hereditary vulnerability to sexual impulses, and irrational defense mechanisms.	No evidence because these theories were stated to generally to be tested.
Specific Theories of Pathology: Freud hypothesized that loss (e.g., of a child, spouse, parent, physical ability) predicted depression.	As common as this idea is among practicing clinicians, there is no evidence that loss predicts depression. Most people who are depressed have not experienced a significant loss.
Specific Theories of Pathology: Psychopathology is manifest where the reality or truth of life has been denied, repressed, or distorted.	No evidence that pathology is a sign of distorting reality bur rather a failure to distort or defend against reality!
Specific Theories of Pathology: Oral Character leads to depression and dependence.	A slight relationship (between 4 & 6 % of the variance) between orality and passivity, helplessness, and dependence.
Specific Theories of Pathology: Severity of self-judging attitudes	Hostility toward self is higher in depressed and predicts shifts in levels of depression. Especially true in females. Stable, negative, and universal causal attributions to self for adverse events causally related to depression.
Outcome of Psychoanalytic Treatment	Psychoanalysis is longer than other treatments
Outcome of Psychoanalytic Treatment	Psychoanalysis has been proven to be longer than other therapies but 0% more effective. In all fairness, Freud himself expressed doubt about the "superiority" of his treatment approach.
Outcome of Psychoanalytic Treatment.	Freud supported empirical research but withdrew early on from considerations of outcome. He NEVER provided any empirical evidence for clients benefiting from his treatment.
Outcome of Psychoanalytic Treatment	Supportive elements rather than technical factors account for most of the outcome.
Outcome of Psychoanalytic Treatment: Purpose of treatment to put ego where Id used to be	No evidence that making the unconscious conscious is correlated with outcome. Indeed, in a study by Wallerstein (1996), 45% of clients achieved change that significantly outstripped their level of insight.
Outcome of Psychoanalytic Treatment: Resolving issues from the past.	No evidence that outcome is related to how far the treatment penetrates into the past. In particular, awareness of how current problems are linked to past events.
Defensive Projection: People project unacceptable thoughts and feelings on to others rather than facing their own shortcomings.	Projection is a way to repress not a specific defense mechanism.
Latent Homosexual Feelings: Homophobic men are more aroused by homosexual cues and are more aggressive.	Homophobic men are actually more aroused by homosexual cues!
Influence of Parents on Child's Mode of Relating: Parents have a significant impact on child's interpersonal style.	Beyond distorted recall, people with all psychiatric complaints are more likely to describe parents as: low maternal/parental support, negative/punitive child rearing strategies, low nurturance, negative evaluation.
Psychic Energy: When depleted, people's ability to deal with complex tasks and defend against ego threats is undermined.	People have difficulty performing physical or cognitive tasks when they are trying to suppress emotions or thoughts or make difficult choices