Adolescents and popular culture - A psychodynamic overview

Adolescents occupy a difficult and seemingly elusive developmental space, w hich makes them enigmas to most adults, including psychotherapists. Buildin g upon dynamic theory such as that formulated by Winnicott or Erikson, this paper explores the relationship between adolescents and material elements of popular culture within a psychodynamic and developmental framework. Theo retical perspectives are integrated with case material to illustrate some o f the roles of popular music and fashion in the lives of teenagers as a mea ns of expression and in potential therapeutic alliance formation, dynamic u nderstanding, and working through developmental conflicts in displacement.