2014/07/31 by Jerry Aldridge, Jennifer Kilgo, Grace Jepkemboi · 1 citation
Psychology · Social Sciences · #Attachment and Relationship Dynamics #Family Dynamics and Relationships #Child Welfare and Adoption #Psychoanalysis #Ego psychology #Psychology #Freud's Psychoanalytic Theories #Psychoanalytic theory
paper · doi:10.15764/stp.2014.02003
openalex publication_date 2014/07/31 · openalex created_date 2016/06/24 · openalex updated_date 2026/06/26
Anna Freud is most noted as one of the founders of child psychoanalysis and as the daughter of Sigmund Freud. However, A. Freud made substantial contributions to other areas of psychology, particularly developmental psychology. Many of her publications in human development have either gone unnoticed or have been overshadowed by colleagues such as John Bowlby, former students such as Erik Erikson, or renowned researchers in human development such as Jean Piaget or Lev Vygotsky. This article describes research and practical applications of A. Freuds writings in child and adolescent psychology beyond psychoanalysis. Her additions to developmental psychology include: 1) the developmental assessment of young children; 2) her work in the area of attachment; 3) the four factors in which development depends; 4) the interactions between mental, physical and socio-emotional development; and 5) the developmental contexts that promote and hinder optimal development. A discussion of why A. Freud’s works have been neglected and recommendations for ways to include her research and practical applications in applied developmental psychology are provided.