The Psychodynamic Development Model of Psychosis addresses the psychosocial dysfunction, social exclusion / withdrawal and negative symptoms associated with psychosis.
- The psychodynamic development model of psychosis defines psychosocial dysfunction as the relative presence of specific, developmentally acquired, personality structures and psychological processes of mind rather than addressing the evident social and relational problems encountered in psychosis on the basis of deficits of brain and/or mind.
- The psychodynamic development model of psychosis addresses the personality structures and psychological processes specific in psychosis as the psychotic part of mind. The psychotic part of mind is based on unresolved and persistent infantile developmental processes. The psychotic part of mind is reality and relationship averse and actively opposes and interferes with the nonâpsychotic, reality and relationally oriented processes and structures of the mind.
- The psychodynamic development model of psychosis draws in particular on the work of D.W.Winnicott and W. Bion and correlates their concepts with contemporary evolutionary theory of human birth, infantile development and the social brain hypothesis.
- The psychodynamic development model of psychosis was developed through clinical observation and experience derived over 15 years of working in clinical as well as psychosocial and vocational rehabilitation services for people with psychotic disorders.
- The psychodynamic development model of psychosis provides a coherent theoretical account of the developmental origins of psychosis, which has direct explanatory and pragmatic application to the day to day manifestations of psychosis.
- The psychodynamic development model of psychosis is not intended as a standalone treatment but to complement psychological, cognitive, psychiatric and psychosocial models of psychosis and its application supports the delivery of treatments and interventions by facilitating better engagement of practitioners in health and social care services and their patients / clients living with psychosis.