Addiction Flashcards
(110 cards)
1
Q
Define Addiction
A
A disorder in which an individual takes a substance or engages in pleasurable behaviour that eventually becomes compulsive with harmful consequences
2
Q
Define physical dependence
A
Presence of unpleasurable physical symptoms referred to as withdrawal syndrome which stop the individual functioning normally
3
Q
Define psychological dependence
A
A drug become a central part of an individuals thoughts which is demonstrated by strong urges to use drug
4
Q
Define craving
A
A craving is an intense desire to repeat an experience associated with a drug or activity
5
Q
Define tolerance
A
An individuals response to a given ammount of a drug is reduced
6
Q
Define metabolic tolerance
A
Enzymes become more efficient in digesting drug so effect is weaker
7
Q
Define prolonged tolerance
A
Prolonged use of a drug leads to a change in receptor density which reduces the response to the normal amount
8
Q
Define learned tolerance
A
An Individual experienced reduced effects as they learn to function normally while under the influence
9
Q
Define withdrawal syndrome
A
A collection of symptoms associated with abstaining from a drug
10
Q
Define acute withdrawal
A
Begins within hours but resolves over weeks and is categorised by intense and persistent cravings
11
Q
Define post acute withdrawal
A
Can last months or years and results in the individual being unable to function adequately as the brain slowly reorganises and rebalances itself
12
Q
Define risk factors
A
Any internal or external influence that increase the likelihood that someone will start taking drugs or engaging in addictive behaviours
13
Q
Outline Genetic vulnerability as a risk factor of addiction
A
A genetic predisposition makes individuals more likely to become addicted.
Blum found that drug addicts often suffer from low levels of dopamine
14
Q
What are the evaluation points for Genetic Vulnerability as a risk factor of obedience
A
+ explains individual differences
- Gender differences to addiction (female concordance rate inconsistent)
15
Q
Outline stress as a risk factor of addiction
A
People engage in behaviours to make themselves feel better. The self medication model proposes that individuals purposefully partake in taking drugs or addictive behaviours to treat psychological symptoms caused by stress then accidentally become addicted
16
Q
What are the evaluation points for Stress as a risk factor of addiction
A
+ practical application (develop effective coping strategies for stress means less need for addictive behaviour)
- varies by addiction
17
Q
Outline personality as a risk factor of addiction
A
Individuals with neurotic and psychopathic traits are believed to be more vulnerable to addiction
- neuroticism (negative and unstable emotions)
- psychoticism (aggression and impulsivity)
- extroversion (chronically under aroused)
18
Q
What are the evaluation points for personality as a risk factor for addiction
A
+ supporting evidence from Eyesenck (200 poly drug users take EPQ)
- supporting research is correlational so unclear if personality causes addiction or addiction causes personality
19
Q
Outline family influences as a risk factor of addiction
A
SLT proposed that behaviours are learned through observation of role models which often are parents and older siblings. For example, if parents partake in substance abuse then their children are more likely to aswell. Furthermore, studies have shown that the behaviour of an older sibling is strongly associated with adolescent substance abuse
20
Q
What are the evaluation points for family influences as a risk factor for addiction
A
+ supporting evidence by Livingston (parents who allow children to drink in last year of school are more likely to binge drink at college)
- intervention studies target parents not siblings (not fully effective)
21
Q
Outline Peers as a risk factor for addiction
A
Amongst older children peer relationships become the most important psychological risk factor since
- peers influence the adolescents attitude to the addictive behaviour
- peers provide opportunity to engage in addictive behaviour
- individual overestimates how much peers partake in addictive behaviour so engage to keep up to perceived norms
22
Q
Outline the Neurochemistry explanation for addiction
A
- Nicotine is the main ingredient of a tobacco plant
- Nicotine binds to acetylcholine receptors in Ventral Tegmental area which leads to the release of dopamine
- Dopamine causes feelings of euphoria and reduced anxiety
- Downregulation occurs which is when receptors shut down after use causing low levels of dopamine thus cravings for another cigarette
- Repeated down regulation causes damage to receptors meaning a tolerance builds
- Nicotine is metabolised so upregulation occurs which is when receptors become sensitive again
23
Q
What are the evaluation points for the neurochemistry explanation to Nicotine addiction
A
+ supporting research by Fagerstom on Parkinson’s
- Reductionist
+ practical application of NRT (strength of being reductionist)
- Nicotine may effect men and women differently (Cosgrove - dopamine effect in Dorsal putamen for women which is for stress and in ventral striatum for men which is for reward
24
Q
What are the evaluation points for peers as a risk factor of addiction
A
+ strong evidence by stock
Found that teenagers who view peers Facebook profile which portrayed alcohol showed more willingness to drink
- peers decide addiction or addiction decides peers?
25
Outline the learning theory explanation for nicotine addiction
- social learning theory explains the initiation of smoking as it proposes that young people begin smoking as a consequence of observing social models who smoke. Vicarious reinforcement means that young people expect positive consequences from smoking
- operant conditioning theory explains how addiction is maintained because the smoking results in positive consequences such as euphoria which is positive reinforcement. Whereas abstinence from smoking makes them irritable and relief is provided by smoking which is negative reinforcement
- cue reactivity is when the urge to smoke persists after quitting and the individual associates smoking related cues with the rewarding effects of nicotine causing them to relapse.
- classical conditioning is when the repetition of smoking causes an association between the sensory aspects of smoking and the effects of nicotine which signals that nicotine is on the way which causes the CS to produce a CR without the UCS.
26
What are the evaluation points for the learning theory explanation of addiction
+ SLT supported by Karsher and finn
+ Cue reactivity supported by Carter and Tiffany
+ practical application of aversion therapy
- Gender differences
27
Evaluate supporting research for SLT by Karsher and Finn
P: a strength of SLT on the development of behaviour is that it is supported by research
E: for example, Karcher and Finn found that individuals whose parents smoked parents smoked were 1.88x more likely to smoke and if their peers smoked they were 8x more likely to smoke compared to if they had friends who didn’t smoke
E: this is a strength as it suggests that closeness to models increased the odds of addiction forming
28
Evaluate supporting research for Cue reactivity by Carter and Tiffany
P: a strength of cue reactivity is that there is supporting research
E: for example, Carter and Tiffany conducted a meta analysis of 41 studies comparing smokers to non smokers with a task of viewing images of smoking related cues. They found that smokers had higher reported levels of cravings and increased physiological arousal than non smokers
E: this is a strength because the findings are consistent with cue reactivity theory thay arousal occurs even without the presence of nicotine
29
Evaluate the practical application of learning theory of nicotine addiction
P: a strength of learning theory explanation to addiction is that there is practical applications such as aversion therapy
E: for example, Aversion therapy works by associating the pleasurable effects of smoking with an aversive stimulus. Smiths participants have themselves an electric shock every time they engaged in smoking related behaviours and after one year 52% of participants were still abstaining compared to the average of 25% of smokers who quit and abstain
E: this is a strength as it suggests that the aversion therapy is effective and if the treatment is effective the the explanation it is based on must be atleast partially valid to.
30
Evaluate gender differences as a limitation of the learning theory explanation of nicotine addiction
P: a limitation of the learning theory explanation of nicotine addiction is that it fails to recognise differences between genders
E: for example, research suggests that females are more likely to smoke than men in stressful situations and women experience withdrawal symptoms sooner and have a harder time giving up smoking
E: this is a limitation as the findings suggest that there is a gender difference which isn’t acknowledged by the learning theory explanation so the explanation must lack atleast a degree of validity
31
Evaluate research support for the neurochemical explanation of nicotine addiction (Parkinson’s)
P: strength of the neurochemical explanation is that there is research support from the treatment of patients with Parkinson’s
E: for example, Parkinson’s is a disease which includes the gradual loss of dopamine producing cells. Fagerstam treated 2 elderly PD patients with nicotine gum and patches and found significant increases in dopamine levels
E: this is a strength as it suggests that nicotine does stimulate the release of dopamine as suggested in the explanation so the explanation must have atleast a degree of validity
32
Evaluate the neurochemical explanation of nicotine addiction as being reductionist
P: a limitation of the neurochemical explanation for nicotine addiction is that it is reductionist
E: for example, it reduces a complex behaviour such as addiction down to a simple explanation of neurotransmitters
E: this is a limitation because it fails to recognise other explanations such as learning theory which means it is limited and can’t be seen as a completely valid explanation
33
Evaluate potential advantages of adopting a reductionist approach in explaining addiction (neurochemistry)
P: a strength of taking a reductionist approach is that it produces practical applications
E: for example, nicotine replacement therapy are inhalers and patches which stimulate the release of dopamine so having the same effects without smoking a cigarette
E: this is a strength as the treatment can help smokers quit and if the treatment produced is effective then the explanation it is based on must be atleast partially valid
34
Evaluate Gender differences as a limitation of the neurochemical explanation of nicotine addiction
P: a limitation is that nicotine may effect men and women differently
E: for example, Cosgrove studied the brain of 8 men and 8 women using Pet scans to see levels of dopamine when smoking and found for women there was a strong effect in the Dorsal putamen which is responsible for stress and for men in the Ventral striatum responsible for rewards
E: this is a limitation as research supports the idea that nicotine effects men and women differently but this isn’t outlined in the neurochemical explanation so it may suffer from beta bias so can’t be a fully valid explanation for nicotine addiction
35
Outline the learning theory explanation to Gambling addiction
SLT - observe role model recieve financial or social rewards which acts as vicarious reinforcement to start gambling
Operant- psychological social or financial rewards act as positive reinforcement to continue gambling.
Furthermore, for many people gambling acts as an escape from real life which can be seen as negative reinforcement
Partial reinforcement is when a behaviour is rewarded some of the time (every 10th bet). Variable reinforcement is when a behaviour is reinforced after an unpredictable time (on average every 10th bet)
The big win hypothesis is that a gambler experiences a big win at the start of their gambling career and are motivated to repeat the behaviour. The near miss provides reinforcement in absence of a win due to a brief moment of excitement
Cue reactivity is when secondary reinforcers of gambling lure the individual into gambling due to the association
Classical conditioning is when the environment (casino) becomes a conditioned stimulus and exhilarates a consisted response (excitement), the stimuli has the ability to increase arousal
36
What are the evaluation points for the learning theory explanation to gambling
+ supporting research by Dickerson (High v low frequency gamblers)
- oversimplistic (explains chance but not skill)
- individual differences (some people gamble to relax or for excitement and some quit and never relapse while others do)
- different pathways to gambling addiction (exposure to gambling through peers or anxiety
37
Evaluate supporting research by Dickerson for the learning theory explanation of gambling addiction
P: a strength of the learning theory explanation of gambling addiction is that it is supported by evidence
E: for example, Dickerson compared high frequency and low frequency gambling habits and found that high frequency were most likely to place their bets in the last 2 minutes as the delay allows tension to build so is more exciting
E: this is a strength of the learning theory explanation because it is evidence for the role of positive reinforcement on behaviour so must be atleast a partially valid explanation
38
Evaluate the learning theory explanation to gambling addiction in terms of being over simplistic
P: a limitation of the learning theory explanation of gambling addiction is that it is oversimplistic
E: for example, the theory can be used to explain chance based gambling but is less effective at explaining skill based gambling
E: this is a limitation as the explanation can’t be used to explain all gambling behaviours so can’t be an entirely valid explanation to gambling addiction
39
Evaluate individual differences as a limitation of the learning theory explanation to gambling addiction
P: a limitation of the learning theory explanation to gambling addiction is that there are individual differences
E: for example, Griffiths argues that the way an individual responds to a stimulus differs with people’s motivations differing with some gambling to relax and some gambling to be aroused. Some people never relapse despite being exposed to the same cues as those who do relapse
E: this is a limitation as the learning theory doesn’t explain these differences in behaviour so as proposed earlier can’t be an entirely valid explanation
40
Evaluate different pathways as a limitation to learning theory as an explanation to gambling addiction
P: a limitation of the learning theory explanation to gambling addiction is that there are different pathways
E: for example, gamblers who are conditioned may have begun due to role models and can be explained through reinforcement but some tend to have accompanying anxiety or depression which produce emotionally vulnerable gamblers who use gambling to relieve their aversive emotional states
E: this is a limitation as it suggests that the learning theory can only explain some times of gambling again questioning the validity of the explanation
41
How does the cognitive theory explain addiction?
The cognitive approach explains addiction in the form of abnormal behaviours resulting from irrational thought processes
42
What is meant by the term cognitive bias?
Cognitive bias is the distortion of attention, memory and thinking
43
What is meant by expectancy theory
Gamblers have expectations about future benefits and costs. Addiction is likely to occur if future benefits outweigh costs
44
What is meant by cognitive myopia
Cognitive myopia is when gamblers place high priority on short term excitement over long term consequences
45
What is meant by illusions of control
Illusions of control is when the gambler overestimates their personal ability to influence the outcome of random events
46
What is meant by gamblers fallacy
Expectation that a win is imminent after a losing streak
47
What is meant by recall bias
Gamblers have selective recall of winning and losing
48
What is meant by near miss bias
Gamblers see nearly winning as encouragement to continue playing
49
What is meant by ritual behaviours
Gamblers believe they have an increased chance of winning because they are lucky or engage in superstitious behaviours
50
What is meant by the just world theory
Gamblers will eventually be rewarded for their efforts
51
What is meant by self efficacy theory
Self efficacy means we have the ability to achieve a desired outcome. People relapse as they believe they can’t permanently give up gambling
52
What are the AO3 points for the cognitive theory of gambling
+ supporting research by Griffiths
+ practical application - CBT
- explains maintenance not initiation of addiction
- oversimplistic - ignores learning theory and reinforcement
53
Evaluate supporting research by Griffiths for the cognitive approach to explaining gambling addiction
P: a strength of the cognitive explanation of gambling is that there is supporting research
E: for example, Griffiths found that regular fruit machine gamblers were more likely to use irrational verbalisatuons such as “I lost because I wasn’t concentrating” than non regular users
E: this is a strength because it supports the idea of how powerful cognitions are in forming addiction
54
Evaluate practical applications of the cognitive explanation of gambling addiction
P: a strength of the cognitive explanation to gambling addiction is that it has practical applications
E: for example, CBT could be used to correct cognitive biases such as gamblers fallacy which reduces motivation to gamble.
E: this is a strength because if the treatment is effective then the explanation it is based off must be atleast partially valid
55
Evaluate the cognitive approach explaining maintenance not initiation as a limitation
P: a limitation of the cognitive explanation of gambling addiction is that it explains maintenance not rehearsal
E: for example, it suggests that people continue to bet due to cognitive biases but doesn’t explain where the biases come from.
E: this is a limitation because the explanation cannot explain causation so is not a completely valid explanation to gambling addiction
56
Evaluate the cognitive theory as being an over simplistic explanation to gambling addiction
P: a limitation of the cognitive explanation to gambling addiction is that it is oversimplistic.
E: for example, it doesn’t take into account learning theory and the role of reinforcement in the initation and maintenance of gambling addiction
E: this is a limitation because it questions the extent to which the cognitive theory is a completely valid explanation to gambling addiction
57
What is meant by Drug therapy
The general term for interventions which use medication in order to treat addiction by interacting with enzymes / receptors to reduce cravings or desires
58
What is meant by Nicotine Replacement Therapy
NRT is the controlled gradual release of nicotine which binds to acetylcholine receptors which stimulates dopamine production. E.g. gum patches inhalers
59
What are opioid antagonists
Opioid antagonists binds to receptors and block them meaning the individual does not experience the reward response e.g. naltexrone for Heroin addiction
60
What is meant by agonists
Agonists are drug substitutes and work by binding to neurons and activating them to satisfy cravings but with less harmful side effects e.g. methadone for heroin addiction
61
What is meant by antidepressants
SSRIs increase serotonin which reduces anxiety and depression which are associated with gambling addiction
62
What are aversives
Aversives produce unpleasant side effects
E.g. disulfiram for alcohol
63
What are the evaluation points for drug therapy to treating addiction
+ supporting research by Kim et al
- opioid antagonists can block all fun
- drugs have side effects
- drugs treat symptoms not the cause
64
Evaluate supporting research for drug therapy by Kim et al
P: a strength of drug therapy as a treatment for gambling addiction is that there is supporting research
E: for example, Kim et al conducted a 12 week double bind placebo trial in which 45 pathological gamblers received a placebo or Naltexrone. Kim found that Naltexrone was significantly more effective than the placebo in reducing intensity of gambling urges.
E: this is a strength of drug therapy as a treatment for gambling addiction as there is supporting research for its effectiveness which means that it must be atleast a partially valid treatment
65
Evaluate opioid antagonists blocking all fun as a limitation of drug therapy
P: a limitation of drug therapy is that the use of opioid antagonists can block all fun activities
E: for example, opioid antagonists work by blocking the brains reward system which may stop the brain releasing dopamine in other periods of their life.
E: this is a limitation because individuals might not persist with drug therapies and they can’t be effective if they aren’t used so it is not a fully valid treatment
66
Evaluate side effects as a limitation of drug therapies
P: a limitation of drug therapies is that they have side effects
E: for example, NRTs can cause sleep disturbances dizziness and headaches while naltexrone can cause severe vomitting
E: this is a limitation as if the side effects have a negative impact on the addicts life then they are likely to discontinue using them meaning they can’t be effective so drug therapy can’t be seen as a fully valid way of treating addiction
67
Evaluate drug therapies treating symptoms not the cause as a limitation of drug therapies
P: a limitation of drug therapies is that they treat the symptoms not the cause
E: for example, treatments tend to address symptoms of withdrawal and not why the addiction began in the first place
E: this is a limitation as if drug therapies are used in isolation then the individual is likely to relapse since the cause is not taken into consideration so drug therapies again lack a degree of validity as a treatment for gambling addiction
68
How do behavioural interventions work
Behavioural interventions work on the assumptions that addictions are learner and so can be reduced or eliminated by changing the consequences of these behaviours
69
What is Aversion therapy
Aversion therapy decreases addictive behaviour by associating the behaviour with unpleasant sensations (counter conditioning)
70
What is covert sensitisation
Covert sensitisation is eliminating addictive behaviours by creating an imaginary association between the behaviour and unpleasant stimulus
71
What are the evaluation points for behavioural interventions for addiction?
+ supporting research by McConaghy
- methodological issues with studies of aversion therapies
- does not encourage the addict to use free will
- treatment may not be effective for all addicts since some may stop interventions before effects take place
72
Evaluate supporting research for covert desensitisation by McConaghy
P: a strength of Covert desensitisation is that there is research support.
E: for example, McConaghy compared the electric shock aversion therapy to covert desensitisation. At a 1 year follow up those who had recurved cover desensitisation were significantly more likely to have reduced their gambling activities
E: this is a strength as research supports the effectiveness of covert desensitisation in treating gambling addictions so it must be atleast a partially valid treatment
72
Evaluate methodological problems of studies with aversion therapies
P: a limitation of studies of Aversion therapies is that they often have methodological problems
E: for example, Stead reviewed 25 studies of Aversion therapy and found it was impossible to judge their effectiveness due to methodological issues such as procedures not being blind meaning the researcher who evaluated the findings knew which participants had received the placebo
E: this is a limitation because the supporting research studies may be influenced by researcher bias and then might lack a degree of validity
73
Evaluate how Aversion therapy may not be the most effective treatment for all addicts
P: a limitation of Aversion therapy is that it may not be the most effective treatment for all addicts as some may struggle to adhere to the treatment
E: for example, Aversion therapy uses stimuli that isn’t pleasant and induces sickness which people may wish to avoid so drop out of the treatment before it is completed
E: this is a limitation because if people drop out then the treatment can’t be effective and therefore can’t be an entirely valid treatment for gambling addiction
73
Evaluate the use of free will as a limitation of Aversion therapy
P: a limitation of aversion therapy is that they don’t encourage the addict to use free will
E: for example, antibuse only requires an individual to take a pill which may lead to the individual believing they have no control over their addiction and thus don’t need to change it as they feel it is out of their control
E: this is a limitation because this treatment may take responsibility away from the addict meaning they are less likely to give up their addiction so is not an entirely valid treatment
74
What is CBT based on
CBT is based on the assumption that addictions are maintained by cognitions so aims to alter them
75
What is functional analysis
The client and therapist work together to identify high risk situations and how the client feel before during and after the behaviour. They then challenge the distorted cognitions
76
What is cognitive restructuring
The therapist challenges the clients faulty beliefs about probability by informing them about the nature of chance
77
What happens at the changing behaviour stage of CBT
The client is encouraged to practice changes in real life such as going to a casino and not gambling, they are encouraged to keep a diary at this stage
78
What are the 3 types of skills training (ellaborate on what they mean)
- assertiveness training is when the client confronts interpersonal conflicts
- Anger management helps the client cope with situations that make them angry
- social skills allow the client to refuse the addictive behaviour with minimal fuss
79
How does CBT aim for prevent relapse
CBT teaches the client to learn to identify and avoid triggers of addiction
80
What are the AO3 points for for CBT as a treatment of addiction
- May not be effective for all addicts
+ effective at preventing relapse when completed
+ no side effects
- overemphasis on cognitions rather than a stressful environment
81
Evaluate why CBT might not be effective for all addicts
P: a limitation of CBT is that it may not be effective for all addicts
E: for example, Feeney found that when CBT was used alone there was 14% abstinence rates but this rose to 38% if the group had both CBT and drug medication, meaning that CBT isn’t effective for addicts who may not be in the mindset to discuss their faulty cognitions
E: this is a limitation as CBT in isolation might not be an effective treatment for addiction so lacks a degree of validity
82
Evaluate relapse as a strength of CBT
P: a strength of CBT is that it appears to be effective at preventing relapse
E: for example, CBT incorporates relapse into the treatment and teaches clients to learn how to spot triggers and avoid them
E: this is a strength as it could be considered an effective long term treatment for addicts so must be atleast a partially valid treatment for addiction
83
How is a strength of CBT that there are no side effects
P: a strength of CBT is that unlike drug treatments there are no side effects
E: for example, CBT simply aims to alter faulty thinking patterns and develop coping strategies which has no negative repercussions
E: this is a strength as the individual will not acquire anymore maladaptive behaviours so may persist in the treatment meaning it can be effective and therefore is atleast a partially valid treatment as proposed earlier
84
Explain how CBTs emphasis on cognitions can be a limitation
P: a limitation of CBT is that there is an over emphasis on cognitions rather than environment
E: for example, stressful environments persist outside of the therapeutic settings and continue to reinforce behaviours
E: this is a limitation as CBT fails to account for this and so isn’t a completely valid treatment
85
What is the theory of planned behaviour
The theory of planned behaviour is the idea that an individuals decision to engage in a particular behaviour can be directly predicted by their intention to engage in that behaviour
86
What are the 3 factors that influence intention in the planned behaviour theory
- behavioural attitudes
- subjective norm
- perceived behavioural control
87
What is meant by behavioural attitude
Behavioural attitude is an individuals personal views towards a behaviour formed on the basis of their beliefs about the consequences of that behaviour
88
What is meant by subjective norms
Subjective norms is the individuals subjective awareness of social Norms relating to that particular behaviour. Social norms are split into injunctive and descriptive norms
89
What is meant by injunctive norms in the theory of planned behaviour
Injunctive norms is what bothers believe is the right thing to do is
90
What is meant by descriptive norms in the theory of planned behaviour
Descriptive norms are the perceptions of what other people are actually doing
91
What is meant by perceived behavioural control
Perceived behavioural control is the belied of an individual that they can carry out a behaviour based on internal and external factors. High perceived controls means the individual is more likely to try to quit an addiction
92
What are the AO3 points for the theory of planned behaviour
+ supporting research by Connor et al
+ practical applications in prevention campaign
- doesn’t explain actual behaviour
- too simplistic and ignores other factors
93
Evaluate supporting evidence by Connor et al for the theory of planned behaviour
P: a strength of TPB is that it has supporting evidence
E: for example, Conner et al investigated the role of planned behaviour in smoking initiation in 11-12 year olds. He tested 675 non smoking adolescents with various baselines measure including TPB and nine months later used a carbon monoxide detector to see if any had taken up smoking. He found that behavioural intentions were a good predictor of later smoking behaviour
E: this is a strength of the TPB because it is objective research since it used carbon monoxide detectors to support TPB so is strong evidence meaning to strengthen the validity of the theory
94
Evaluate practical application of TBP (prevention campaigns)
P: A strength of TPB is that it has effective practical applications
E: for example, The US Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) launched a campaign in 2005 to lower teenage marijuana use. A review of the campaign attributed its success to its influence on changing behavioural attitudes and creating a different attitude towards Marijuana
E: this is a strength as the campaign was successful due to changing attitudes towards behaviours which supports TPB so the theory must be atleast partially valid
95
Evaluate TPB in terms that it doesn’t explain actual behaviour just intentions
P: a limitation of the model is that it does not explain actual behaviour
E: for example, TBP cannot account for the intention to behaviour gap as it doesn’t adequately explain how actual behaviour arises from the intentions
E: this is a limitation because if the theory doesn’t predict actual behaviour change then it becomes very difficult to create drug interventions so questions the extent to which the TPB is valid
96
Evaluate TPB in terms of being too simplistic and ignoring other factors
P: a limitation of TPB is that it is too simplistic and ignores other factors
E: for example, TBP fails to take into account emotions, influence of peers and that addiction might be inherited.
E: this is a limitation as the theory assumes all behaviours are conscious which might not be the case for addicts who often feel like they have no control over their behaviour so the theory might not be completely valid
97
What is Prochaskas 6 stage model?
Prochaskas 6 stage model recognised that overcoming addiction is a complex, non linear process. The first 3 stages can be seen as pre action
- pre contemplation
- contemplation
- preparation
And the final 3 can be seen as post action
- action
- maintenance
- termination
98
What happens at the precontemplation stage and what’s the appropriate intervention
The precontemplation stage is when the addiction is not currently thinking about changing their addictive behaviour due to denial or a lack of motivation. Appropriate intervention would be making the addict consider need for change
99
What happens at the contemplation stage and what’s the appropriate intervention
At the contemplation stage the addict is thinking about changing their behaviour as they are aware of potential benefits but also costs.
Appropriate intervention would he helping the addict see how the benefits outweigh the costs.
100
What happens at the preparation stage and what’s would appropriate intervention be
At the preparation stage the addict now believes the benefits outweigh the costs and have decided to change their behaviour
Appropriate intervention would be helping the addict construct a plan
101
What happens at the Action stage and what’s would appropriate intervention be
At the action stage the individual has altered their addictive behaviour for between 1 day and 6 months
Appropriate intervention would be helping the addict develop coping skills
102
What happens at the maintenance stage and what would appropriate intervention be
At the maintenance stage the individual has stayed free of addictive behaviour for longer than 6 months and there is a clear focus on preventing relapse.
Appropriate intervention would be removing cues which would trigger relapse in the addict
103
What happens in the intervention stage and what would appropriate intervention be
The new behaviour is automatic and individuals don’t revert back to addictive behaviours.
No intervention is needed at this stage.
However for most people this stage might not be realistic so they aim to prolong maintenance instead
104
What are the evaluation points for Prochaskas 6 stage model
+ acknowledges the impact of relapse
- stages are too arbitrary
- descriptive rather than predictive
+ economic implication
105
Evaluate how Prochaskas model acknowledges the impact of relapse
P: a strength of Prochaskas model is that it acknowledges the impact of relapse
E: for example, the model doesn’t view relapse as a failure but as an inevitable part of the non linear dynamic process
E: this is a strength as it means it is a more complete explanation than TPB so must have atleast a degree of validity
106
Evaluate how Prochaskas model is too arbitrary
P: a limitation of Prochaskas model is that it is too arbitrary
E: for example, if an individual plans to give up smoking in 30 days they are in the preparation stage but if they plan to give up in 31 days they are in the pre contemplation stage, having a distinct cut off point.
E: this is a limitation as the model may be unnecessarily complex and therefore might not be a fully valid model
107
Evaluate Prochaskas model as being descriptive rather than predictive
P: a limitation of Prochaskas model is that it is descriptive rather than predictive
E: for example, most research applying the 6 stage model to addiction describes the stage they are at and correlations with addiction related and treatment seeking behaviours
E: this is a limitation as if the theory cannot predict behaviour change then it can’t be seen as a completely valid explanation of behaviour change
108
Evaluate the economic implications of Prochaskas 6 stage model
P: a strength of Prochaskas 6 stage model is that there are economic implications
E: for example, it allows the addict to know what stage they are in and how to progress which may help them overcome addiction
E: this is a strength as they are more likely to hold down a job and contribute to society through paying taxes
