bio treatment: hormone and drug

Question 1

aims

Answer 1

change the levels of hormones

Question 2

testosterone

Answer 2

• plays a key role on the development of male reproductive tissue and is required to maintain muscle strength and bone density.
• elevated testosterone has been documented among people with a history of aggression.

Question 3

how can this be treated

Answer 3

• administration of the female hormone MPA which decreases the functioning of testosterone has been investigated as a way of reducing testosterone levels in males.
• this anti androgen acts by breaking down and eliminating test and inhibiting the production of luteinising hormone through the pituitary gland, which in turn inhibits or prevents the production of test.
• side effects include breast enlargement.

Question 4

evidence

Answer 4

found that administration of MPA reduced levels of test and resulted in marked reductions in outwardly directed anger among all 8 male participants within their study.
however, the people were normal non aggressive men so their findings have limited application to aggressive indivuals and violent criminal offenders.

Question 5

appropriateness

Answer 5

:( treatment only right for criminals whose behaviour is bio determined.
:( testosterone based treatments are not right for females.therfore female sex offenders will need other methods of treatment.
conc- each needs to be assessed to whether drug treatment is right for them

Question 6

practicality

Answer 6

:( may be more easily used in prisons and may not be readily available in their own environmental contexts
ca- it can be easily used to modify behaviours after initial diagnosis
:) compared with CBT drugs requiere little effort
refusal and non compliance is an issue

Question 7

effectiveness

Answer 7

maletzky
CA= may be practical issues with this study such as use of questionnaires.

:) SSRI research in prison found that 32 offenders taking fluoxetine reported reduced frequency of sexual thoughts and excitability. this shows that using bio methods can be useful in sexual offenders.

ca= however use of drugs should form part of a wider intervention that also teaches them to recognise and manage their aggression. suggests dugs alone is insufficient and perhaps reductionist way to treat agression.

Question 8

ethics

Answer 8

:) may be some relief to reduce aggressive and sexual behaviours
:( may act as chemical straight jacket as it only minimises behaviour when taken. therefore it may not empower them to change neg behaviours and may just act as a form of social control to maintain pos and controllable behaviour within a prison context.