Female psychology: a review

This paper examines the differences between early psychoanalytic views of female development and current views, illustrating that recent suggested revisions offer an updated preliminary theoretical framework. The clinical implications of the differing views are discussed, and examples (two from the psychotherapy of children and a third from the psychoanalysis of a young woman) are offered to demonstrate particular clinical issues, such as penis envy and genital anxiety. It is postulated that the outcome of psychoanalytic treatment of women is markedly affected by the different clinical formulations and conceptualizations that result from different views. Further, the psychoanalytic terminology can contribute in subtle ways to ambiguity, distortion, and lack of clarity regarding female psychology.