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iGCSE Psychology > Module 3: Psychological Problems > Flashcards

Module 3: Psychological Problems Flashcards

1
Q

Name symptoms of unipolar depression

A
  • Lowering of mood, tiredness unrelieved by rest, lack of motivation
  • Poor sleep, poor/increased appetite, lack of enjoyment in previously enjoyed activities, low self-esteem, feelings of guilt, suicidal thoughts
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2
Q

What is required for a unipolar depression diagnosis?

A
  • One main symptom present most time/days for two weeks
  • One other symptom present at some point
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3
Q

How are the different severities of unipolar depression identitified/classified?

A
  • Mild: 4 symptoms
  • Moderate: 5-6 symptoms
  • Severe: 7+ symptoms and general feelings of worthlessness
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4
Q

Why is depression more commonly diagnosed now than in the past?

A
  • Reduction of stigma
  • Increasing knowledge of mental health
  • Modern life more stressful and so more likely to cause depression
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5
Q

What are the effects of depression on an individual?

A

Increased risk of suicide (suggested 10-15% of people with severe depression commit suicide)

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6
Q

What are the effects of depression on society?

A
  • Time missed from work: behind on work –> guilt –> worsens depression, company must cover workload
  • Cost of treatment: antidepressants expensive, not enough trained therapists
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7
Q

What studies give evidence for the genetic explanation of depression?

A
  • Craig Hyde et al. (2016), 17 gene variations linked to depression, more likely to develop if family member has it
  • Peter McGuffin et al. (1996), identical twins more likely to be depressed if the other one is than non-identical twins
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8
Q

What is the diathesis-stress model of depression?

A

Some are genetically predisposed to develop depression but only develop it if exposed to stress that activates the gene

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9
Q

What are the strengths of the genetic explanation of depression?

A
  • Lessens stigma (cannot be blamed for depression)
  • Research evidence
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10
Q

What are the weaknesses of the genetic explanation of depression?

A
  • Deterministic (assumes people have no free will over being depressed)
  • May be reductionist (fails to take life events into account)
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11
Q

Describe Aaron Beck’s cognitive explanation of depression

A

Cognitive triad: negative view of world –> negative view of self –> negative view of future –> (repeat)
- Example of cognitive bias (negative self-schema)
- Leads to magnification (negative exaggeration)

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12
Q

Describe Albert Ellis’ cognitive explanation of depression

A

ABC Model: Activating event (stress) –> Beliefs (either rational or irrational) –> Consequences (rational belief (true) –> no depression, irrational belief (untrue) –> depression)

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13
Q

What are the strengths of the cognitive explanation of depression?

A
  • Acknowledges life events, takes nature/nurture into account
  • Practical applications (CBT)
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14
Q

What are the weaknesses of the cognitive explanation of depression?

A
  • Can’t tell if negative thoughts a cause or symptom
  • Post-natal depression more likely caused by hormones (unclear event)
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15
Q

What are the aims of cognitive behavioural therapy?

A
  • Help change the way the patient thinks
  • Help change the way they act to improve symptoms
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16
Q

What is the process of cognitive behavioural therapy?

A
  • Patient discusses symptoms (thoughts, feelings, behaviours)
  • ‘Homework’, change ways of thinking & write down feelings
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17
Q

What are the strengths of cognitive behavioural therapy?

A
  • Evidence: Beltman et al. (2010), CBT patients improved more than non-CBT
  • Longer lasting treatment (skills permanent, drugs temporary)
  • Gives patients self-determination
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18
Q

What are the weaknesses of cognitive behavioural therapy?

A
  • Relies on patients recognising symptoms and wanting to change (lack of motivation a main symptom)
  • Ethical issue: patient told their ways of thinking are ‘wrong’, therapist may abuse power
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19
Q

What are the four types of antidepressants?

A
  • SSRI, block re-uptake of serotonin, make is available for longer
  • SNRI, block re-uptake of serotonin and noradrenaline
  • MAOI, prevent enzyme monoamine oxidase from breaking down serotonin and noradrenaline
  • TCA, prevent reabsorption of serotonin and noradrenaline
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20
Q

What are the strengths of drug therapy as a treatment for depression?

A
  • Improves symptoms so allows patients to access other treatments (CBT)
  • Evidence: Royal College of Psychiatrists study
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21
Q

What are the weakenesses of drug therapy as a treatment for depression?

A
  • Side effects (diabetes, insomnia, suicidal feelings)
  • Helps symptoms, not cause (relapse upon treatment stopping)
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22
Q

What are the symptoms of addiction (dependence disorder)?

A
  • Feeling of needing to take the substance
  • Stopping very difficult
  • Physical withdrawal symptoms (shaking, sweating, vomiting)
  • Tolerance to substance
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23
Q

What is required for an addiction diagnosis?

A

At least three symptoms present for a month OR for repeated occasions over a year

24
Q

Describe features of addiction

A
  • Evidence that the substance is harmful is ignored
  • Friends, family and previously enjoyed activities ignored in favour of substance
  • More tolerance –> more of the substance must be used for the same effect
25
Q

Describe the incidence of addiction

A
  • Difficult to measure: definition changes (internet/video games now included), relationship changes (past medical drugs now illegal)
  • Addiction is rising: alcohol/drugs now cheaper, increase in reported drug use
26
Q

What are the effect of addiction on individuals?

A
  • Neglect people and previously enjoyed activities
  • Spend money on addiction
  • Substance may be harmful
27
Q

What are the effects of addiction on society?

A
  • Time away from work, workload must be covered
  • Costs government money to treat
  • Criminal behaviour to fund addiction, cost government money to manage
28
Q

Give evidence for the genetic explanation of addiction

A
  • Dorit Carmelli et al. (1992) - identical twins more likely than non-identical
  • Donald Goodwin et al. (1973) - adopted children with addicted bio parent more likely
29
Q

What gene has been linked to addiction?

A

DDR2 gene - dopamine receptor

30
Q

What are the strengths of the genetic explanation of addiction?

A
  • Evidence (twin and adoption studies)
  • Explains why some are more prone to addiction than others
31
Q

What are the weaknesses of the genetic explanation of addiction?

A
  • Reductionist, doesn’t take social factors into account (twins studies - same home life)
  • No single gene found, DDR2 also linked to autism
32
Q

Explain the conditioning theory as a learning explanation for addiction

A

Classical conditioning:
- Learned through association, associate substance with positive feelings
- Want to feel goods –> substance
Operant conditioning:
- Behaviour –> positive outcome –> behaviour repeated (positive reinforcement)
- Withdrawal –> negative outcome (negative reinforcement)

33
Q

Explain social learning theory as a learning explanation for addiction

A
  • Behaviour learned from role models
  • More likely to try a familiar substance
34
Q

What are the strengths of learning theory as an explanation of addiction?

A
  • Treatment, assumes a behaviour can be unlearned
  • Classical conditioning explains relapse
35
Q

What are the weaknesses of learning theory as an explanation of addiction?

A
  • Ignores biological factors (though operant conditioning does consider dopamine)
  • Doesn’t explain why some are more prone to addiction than others
36
Q

Explain the process of CBT as a treatment for addiction

A
  • Functional analysis: understand triggers
  • Skills training: how to cope with cravings, assertiveness training (peer pressure), improving motivation, homework (diary of when/where patient feels tempted)
37
Q

What are the strengths of CBT as a treatment for addiction?

A
  • Builds up skills, patient has self-determination
  • Evidence: Young’s 2007 study found CBT effective for internet addictions
38
Q

What are the weaknesses of CBT as a treatment for addiction?

A
  • Patient must be motivated (in contradiction with symptoms)
  • Skills gained doesn’t guarantee behaviour will stop (evidence: Morgenstern and Longabaugh’s 2000 study on alcoholics)
39
Q

What are the uses of drug therapy as a treatment for addiction?

A
  • Reduce withdrawal symptoms
  • Reduce cravings
  • Certain drugs can also help behavioural addictions (gambling and sexual activity)
40
Q

What are the strengths of drug therapy as a treatment for addiction?

A
  • Evidence: Suck Won Kim et al. (2001) gamblers helped more by naltrexone than placebo
  • Helps patients access CBT by reducing symptoms
41
Q

What are the weaknesses of drug therapy as a treatment for addiction?

A
  • Mixed evidence: John Krystal et al. (2001) alcoholics, no difference between naltrexone and placebo after 12 months
  • Patients may become addicted to treatment drug
42
Q

What was the procedure of Caspi et al. (2003) Influence of Life Stress on Depression?

A
  • 847 participants in three groups: 2 copies of short 5-HTT gene (controls serotonin levels), one short & one long, and two long copies
  • Answered questionnaire on life events from 21st to 26th birthday and depression symptoms
43
Q

What were the results of Caspi et al. (2003) Influence of Life Stress on Depression?

A
  • Depressed participants more likely to have two short genes and have experienced a stressful life event
  • Interaction of nature and nurture
44
Q

What are the strengths of Caspi et al. (2003) Influence of Life Stress on Depression?

A
  • Large sample size, generalising more accurate
  • Useful for doctors (know to look for both short 5-HTT gene and stressful life event)
45
Q

What are the weaknesses of Caspi et al. (2003) Influence of Life Stress on Depression?

A
  • Short gene may make people more prone to stressful life events
  • Questionnaire self-report, may be unreliable
46
Q

What were the aims of Caspi et al. (2003) Influence of Life Stress on Depression?

A
  • Why stressful life events lead to depression in some and not others
  • Does a variation of the 5-HTT gene make a stressful life event more likely to lead to depression
47
Q

What were the conclusions of Caspi et al. (2003) Influence of Life Stress on Depression?

A
  • Interaction between genetic factors and stressful life event in causing depression
  • Interaction of nature/nurture
48
Q

What were the aims of Young (2007) CBT with Internet Addicts?

A
  • Investigate effect of CBT as a treatment for internet addictions
  • See how behaviours improve during and after treatment
49
Q

What was the procedure of Young (2007) CBT with Internet Addicts?

A
  • 114 participants with no other mental health problems
  • Had weekly online CBT for 12 weeks
  • Filled in a Likert-type scale (1-5) questionnaire on symptoms on weeks 3, 6, 12 and 6 months after
50
Q

What were the results of Young (2007) CBT with Internet Addicts?

A
  • Symptoms improved over 12 weeks
  • Symptoms still better than before CBT after 6 months
51
Q

What are the strengths of Young (2007) CBT with Internet Addicts?

A
  • Shows online CBT is effective
  • Same questions and rating scale (standardised procedure)
52
Q

What are the weaknesses of Young (2007) CBT with Internet Addicts?

A
  • Self-report may be unreliable
  • Different types of internet addiction identified but not distinguished, results average
53
Q

Describe nature and how it relates to mental health problems

A
  • Biological factors (genes)
  • Explains why some develop addictions/depression and others don’t
  • Explains why some relapse and others don’t
  • Caspi et al. (2003) 5-HTT gene
54
Q

Describe nurture and how it relates to mental health problems

A
  • Environmental factors, assumes babies are blank slates and that experienced influence behaviour
  • Basis for treatment, learned behaviours can be unlearned
  • Cognitive explanation of depression & learning theory for addiction
  • CBT works for both suggesting nurture influence
55
Q

Describe interactions between nature and nurture in mental health problems

A
  • Caspi et al. (2003) combination of 5-HTT gene and stressful life event
  • Gene makes people prone, triggered by stressful life event

iGCSE Psychology (10 decks)

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