Child and adolescent psychiatry mnemonic

Freud's psychosexual stages

The mnemonic

Old Animals Prefer Large Grass

What each word stands for

  • OldOral (0 to 1 year)
  • AnimalsAnal (1 to 3 years)
  • PreferPhallic (3 to 6 years)
  • LargeLatency (6 years to puberty)
  • GrassGenital (puberty onward)

Why it matters clinically

Fixation at a stage is linked in classical teaching to specific personality traits.

Where it stops being reliable

Psychoanalytic theory; age ranges are approximate and not empirically proven.

Teaching aid, still awaiting independent review. Confirm facts in a standard source.

More mnemonics

Common questions

What is the Child and adolescent psychiatry mnemonic?

Old Animals Prefer Large Grass. It helps you recall: Freud's psychosexual stages.

What does "Old" stand for?

Oral (0 to 1 year)

What does "Animals" stand for?

Anal (1 to 3 years)

What does "Prefer" stand for?

Phallic (3 to 6 years)

What are all the parts of the Old Animals Prefer Large Grass mnemonic?

Old: Oral (0 to 1 year); Animals: Anal (1 to 3 years); Prefer: Phallic (3 to 6 years); Large: Latency (6 years to puberty); Grass: Genital (puberty onward).

Which topic does this mnemonic belong to?

It belongs to Child and adolescent psychiatry in Psychiatry.

Where does this mnemonic stop being reliable?

Psychoanalytic theory; age ranges are approximate and not empirically proven.

How is this useful clinically?

Fixation at a stage is linked in classical teaching to specific personality traits.

How do I make this mnemonic stick?

Say it aloud, write it from memory tomorrow, then again in a week. Then test yourself on a Psychiatry question about Child and adolescent psychiatry.

Is this a standard mnemonic?

It is a teaching aid written or adapted by our team. Some resemble ones students share informally. Check any fact that matters in a standard source.