Developmental Lines - The Developmental Profile

The Developmental Profile

On the basis of the concept of developmental lines Anna Freud developed the 'developmental profile'. The profile has two aims:

• ultimately classifying the individual within a diagnostic schema
• a more detailed examination of the internal picture of the child which contains information about:
  • the structure of the personality
  • the dynamic interplay within the structure
  • some economic factors concerning drive activity and the relative strength of id and ego forces
  • the adaptation to reality; and some genetic assumptions

A developmental profile consists of the following parts:

1. Reasons (and circumstances) for referral. Description of symptoms.
2. Description of the child
3. Family background (past and present) and personal history
4. Possibly significant environmental circumstances
5. Assessment of development
6. Assessment of fixation points and regressions
7. Assessment of the conflicts
8. Assessment of some general characteristics
9. Diagnosis

Also based on the developmental lines, Professor Abraham developed another kind of developmental profile in the nineties.