C2- Treatment + Management of addiction + stress

Question 1

Social Support

Answer 1

Support from those around us:
- family
- friends
- work colleagues
People may have small/large social networks that provide little/alot of support
- Quality > Quantity

Question 2

3 types of social support

Answer 2

Instrumental Support
- practical help, physically doing something
- giving information

Emotional Support
- expressing warmth, concern, love, empathy
- comforts + helps them feel better

Esteem Support
- give this when someone needs a boost
- increases self-esteem + self-efficacy

Question 3

Buffering Hypothesis

Answer 3

Argues that social support protects us against the negative effects of stress by creating psychological distance (buffer zone)
- this is a cognitive process that gives us space and a chance to think about the stressor differently

Question 4

Direct Effect Hypothesis

Answer 4

• argues that social support is beneficial at all times, not just during stress
• because it keeps us in a relaxed state reducing psychological arousal of the NS

Question 5

Evaluation
- strength

Answer 5

Research Support
- evidence for social support
- a study showed participants who received hugs were less likely to become ill
- can provide protection

Question 6

Evaluation
- weakness

Answer 6

Backfire effects:
- social support depends on who provides it and when, information may be inaccurate or emotional support may be unhelpful
- social support is beneficial when requested

Question 7

Skills Training

Answer 7

Skills training = learning different skills
- can be part of CBT or standalone
- it is narrow and specific
- as a client practices their skills it increases their self- efficacy, so they learn they’re capable of controlling their own behaviour (internal LoC)

Question 8

3 types of skills training

Answer 8

• assertiveness
• anger management
• social skills training

Question 9

Assertiveness Training

Answer 9

Conflict in relationships = relapse
Disagreements = arguments = aggression
- people avoid confrontation for fear it develops into conflict
This training helps a client to cope with conflicts, minimising chance of relapse to relieve negative feelings

Question 10

Anger Management

Answer 10

• some addicts find it hard to control their emotions
• arousal can be expressed as anger especially in situations that provoke anxiety
  Training can help a client express emotions more constructively. e.g (sports, counting to 10)

Question 11

Social skills training

Answer 11

• most clients benefit from developing social skills
• a recovering alcoholic will encounter situations where alcohol is available or gambling is cued
  SST focuses on improving verbal and non verbal communication skills
• tone of voice eye contact

Question 12

Techniques used in Skills training

Answer 12

Group discussion = small groups, everyone can share experiences and situations, discuss high risk situations

Modelling + Roleplay = the therapist demonstrates a skill and then they imitate and highlight areas for improvement

Homework = tasks are set so the client practices their skills in real life

Visualisation = the client imagines a situation and walks through the steps

Question 13

Evaluation
- strength

Answer 13

Research support
- a study showed skills training was just as effective as other training used and stopped gambling immediately

Question 14

Cognitive Behavioural Therapy

Answer 14

cognitive explanations focus on the way we think
- irrational ways of thinking lead to drugs, shopping, gambling being used to cope with stress and leads to addiction

Question 15

CBT Elements

Answer 15

Cognitive Restructuring = the cognitive elements aims to change the irrational thinking

• the behavioural elements aims to help a client learn to avoid high risk situations (skills training)

Question 16

Functional analysis
= diagnostic test

Answer 16

CBT starts with the client and therapist finding out what the irrational thoughts are, beliefs and triggers
- client may keep a thought diary

Functional analysis is ongoing as it can help identify any issues the client is still having and what skills they need

Question 17

Cognitive Restructuring

Answer 17

• the clients distorted cognitions are confronted and challenged
• by asking for evidence, client is forced to rethink their irrational thoughts
• it is important the client owns their awareness and is not just told their thoughts are wrong

Question 18

Behaviour Change

Answer 18

• client learns new skills that will replace their main way of coping with their addiction
• they can use skills training

Question 19

Relapse Prevention

Answer 19

• the client learns techniques to avoid relapse
• it is hard to avoid triggering cues + high risk situations
• the client learns to identify rational thoughts and challenge them, removing the trigger

Question 20

Evaluation
- strength

Answer 20

Research Support:
- A Study showed CBT was just as effective as other treatments in treating addiction

Question 21

Evaluation
- weakness

Answer 21

Short + Long term effects
- study showed benefits of CBT were less effective after 1 year
- confusing as CBT helps prevent relapse

Question 22

Stress Inoculation Training
(SIT)

Answer 22

Inoculation = giving people protection against future stressors by helping them learn to cope in advance

Thinking about a stressful situation positively rather than negatively changes how we feel + respond

Question 23

3 phases of SIT

Answer 23

1. Cognitive Preparation
2. Skill acquisition
3. Application + follow through

People move through the stages at their own pace and order

Question 24

1. Cognitive Preparation

Answer 24

• Identifying and understanding the stressors
• client learns to see stressors as challenge rather than threat and break it down into smaller elements that are easier to cope with
• clients responsible for their own progress

Question 25

2. Skill Acquisition

Answer 25

- the client learns skills they need to cope - the therapist has a toolbox of skills - self talk is most beneficial as they replace negative talk with positive - then practice skills in safe environment

Question 26

3. Application + Follow Through

Answer 26

- the client gradually transfers their skills to the real world by conducting personal experiments - then discuss experience and work on skill development if necessary - the client learns to cope with setbacks before they happen - client develops internal LoC

Question 27

Evaluation - strength

Answer 27

Research Support: - a study showed people who has SIT were less stressed than those who didn't Flexibility: - SIT is tailored to clients needs in lots of different situations

Question 28

Evaluation - weakness

Answer 28

Too complex: - hard to find out why it's successful - too complicated Demanding: - lots of pressure, too much effort - drop out rates are high

Question 29

Mindfulness

Answer 29

Mindfulness is a psychological approach that involves being in the present - used to treat stress + addiction in a positive way

Question 30

Main features of mindfulness

Answer 30

- relating thoughts, feelings, emotions - take in surroundings (senses) - promoting healthy behaviours

Question 31

Mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) - treats stress

Answer 31

- reduces stress by distracting, focus attention away from the source - mindful focus, mindful stretching, body scan - you are less troubled by stressful thoughts as they pass through your mind

Question 32

Mindfulness- oriented recovery enhancement (MORE) - treats addiction

Answer 32

- as addictive behaviour is often automatic, MORE helps an addicted person become more aware of their behaviour - this mindfulness technique is more guided, a voice gives a client direction to their medication

Question 33

Evaluation - strength

Answer 33

Research Support: - MORE had better outcomes than other programmes - shows mindfulness can help to manage stress + addiction

Question 34

Evaluation - weakness

Answer 34

Exaggerated Effectiveness: - evidence is inconclusive and not scientific - mindfulness is not effective

Question 35

Talking Therapies (Counselling + self-guided help)

Answer 35

- delivered by trained practioners who work with people to bring effective change and/or enhance their wellbeing - guided self-help uses materials from CBT to learn techniques to manage symptoms of anxiety/ depression

Question 36

Evaluation - strength

Answer 36

- no medication, so cannot become dependent on it - treats underlying cause rather than symptoms

Question 37

Evaluation - weakness

Answer 37

- requires motivation, effort, belief, expense, need to be willing to open up and share

Question 38

Biofeedback

Answer 38

- you gain control of automatic bodily processes - you learn to do this via feedback from a machine

Question 39

3 Phases of Biofeedback

Answer 39

- Awareness + physiological feedback - Relaxation training + control - Transfer

Question 40

1. Awareness + physiological feedback

Answer 40

- you are connected to a machine which gives feedback to you - the therapist explains what is being shown

Question 41

2. Relaxation training + control

Answer 41

- use feedback to take control of responses - uses positive reinforcement to make progress = operant conditioning

Question 42

3. Transfer

Answer 42

- move from therapy room to the real world - may involve portable machines

Question 43

Evaluation - strength

Answer 43

Research Support: - a study showed a group of doctors using biofeedback had reduced stress scores

Question 44

Evaluation - weakness

Answer 44

Inconsistent Outcomes - hasn't been proved to reduce physiological signs of stress significantly