Freud's Psychodynamic Stage Analysis

The phallic stage initiates the acknowledgement of libido and gender roles. The child finds his or her libido, or energy put toward finding satisfaction. This stage often results in the child imagining sexual relationships with the opposite sex (Cole & Tufano, 2008), as this is the first stage the child becomes aware of the differences between genders. This is the stage in life where children are faced with what was described as the Oedipal conflict (Feldman, 2013). Freud theorized that as the gender differences are more prevalent to the child, the child looks to the parent of the opposite sex and directs his or her libido (Cole & Tufano, 2008), forcing the same sex parent to the role of rival (Feldman, 2013). As the dominant opposite sex person in this child’s life is from his or her family, this child must accept a sexual relationship of these terms is not acceptable to move out of this stage (Cole & Tufano, 2008). Once this transition of thought occurs, the child looks to the

First, although at the time he established this theory it would be typical, the theory truly focuses on the male as the superior. For example, during the phallic stage, a girl is said to experience penis envy of her father, causing her to instead turn away from an Oedipal complex and identify with her mother (Feldman, 2013). Not only this, but many developmental theorists have more concrete proof of how gender development occurs, unlike Freud. There is little scientific support behind Freud’s stages (Feldman, 2013), as it is purely a theory. Not only this, but there are no evaluation techniques, assessments, or even specific keys to applying this theory in intervention outlined by Freud. When attempting to connect it to occupational therapy, claims can rarely be made appropriately based on this theory as the profession values evidence-based practice and lack of strong connection to the Occupational Therapy Practice