Concepts Flashcards
(79 cards)
Acronym related to factors affecting life span
GERD- Genetics, exercise, reproduction, diet
What does task-centered practice focus on?
Short-term interventions and specific, actionable goals to address immediate client needs.
What does the strengths-based approach focus on?
Empowering clients by identifying their existing skills, resources, and abilities to address challenges effectively.
When to use involuntary hospitalization?
When a client is at immediate risk of self-harm and refuses a safety plan, this prevents harm and ensures care.
What are common characteristics of an abuse perpetrator (besides being controlling and manipulative)
Low self-esteem and explosive temper
What are the 4 Stages of cultural competency?
Awareness of personal cultural worldview, acceptance of other cultures, developing knowledge of different cultural traditions and practices, and development of cross-cultural communication skills. THEY HAPPEN IN THAT ORDER.
What are the main features of Borderline personality disorder (BPD)?
- INTENSE FEAR OF ABANDONMENT or rejection, often leading to frantic efforts to avoid real or imagined abandonment. 2. UNSTABLE & INTENSE RELATIONSHIPS characterized by idealizing others one moment and then devaluing them the next. This is often referred to as “splitting.” 3. UNCLEAR / DISTORTED SELF-IMAGE fluctuating self-image and struggle with a sense of identity (unsure about who they are and what they want out of life) 4. IMPULSIVENESS such as reckless driving, unsafe sex, excessive spending, or substance abuse, are common. These behaviors may be attempts to cope with emotional pain or distress. 5. SELF-HARMING such as cutting or suicide threats/attempts (as ways of coping with emotional pain or as a means of gaining attention or control) 6. CHRONIC FEELINGS OF EMPTINESS, being bored, or numb inside, which can contribute to difficulty tolerating being alone or struggling to find a sense of fulfillment. 7. INTENSE, INAPPROPRIATE ANGER, or difficulty controlling anger, which can lead to frequent outbursts or physical confrontations, often in response to perceived slights or feelings of being misunderstood. STRESS-RELATED PARANOIA OR DISSOCIATION- Under stress, individuals with BPD may experience transient paranoia, dissociation, or a feeling of detachment from reality (e.g., feeling as though they are outside their body).
What is a feeling of detachment?
Feeling as though one is outside one’s body
What is the best evidence-based therapeutic intervention for Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD)?
Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT). It reduces self-harming behavior and improves emotional regulation and relationships. Changes are sustained.
What are the key features of Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)?
- FOCUS ON EMOTIONAL REGULATION (DBT teaches clients skills to manage intense emotions, reduce emotional reactivity, and improve emotional stability). 2. DIALECTICAL PHILOSOPHY (The term “dialectical” refers to the integration of opposites, such as accepting the client as they are while simultaneously pushing for change. This helps balance validation with the need for personal growth. 3. MINDFULNESS techniques (central to DBT helping clients stay grounded in the present moment, reduce impulsivity, and improve self-awareness) 4. DISTRESS TOLERANCE (helps individuals tolerate and cope with emotional distress without resorting to self-destructive behaviors like self-harm or impulsive acts) 5. INTERPERSONAL EFFECTIVENESS (Clients learn skills for improving communication, setting boundaries, and developing healthier, more stable relationships) 6. ACCEPTANCE & CHANGE (accepting the client’s current situation while simultaneously encouraging change in problematic behaviors and patterns) 7. STRUCTURE & COMMITMENT (a combination of individual therapy and group skills training, including phone coaching for clients to use in real-time situations) 8. WEEKLY THERAPY & GROUP SKILLS TRAINING (practical tools for managing emotions and behaviors).
Strategy to address heightened sensitivity to perceived abandonment in Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD)
Validation and exploration of their feelings help address emotional distress and strengthen the therapeutic alliance.
What is the ego-supportive approach?
The ego-supportive approach in social work is most closely linked to Ego Psychology, which is a major theory within psychoanalytic theory. Ego Psychology is an offshoot of Sigmund Freud’s original psychoanalytic theory and emphasizes the ego’s role in regulating thoughts, emotions, and behaviors. Ego Psychology is a theory that emphasizes the role of the ego in managing emotions, coping with stress, and maintaining a sense of self. This approach aligns with the belief that strengthening the ego—through reinforcement of coping skills, validation, and boosting self-esteem—can improve a client’s ability to navigate life’s challenges and promote psychological well-being.
Key figures in Ego psychology
ANNA FREUD expanded on the concept of the ego and its role in defense mechanisms. Her work on the DEFENSIVE EGO laid the foundation for understanding how the ego protects itself from anxiety and distress. The ego-supportive approach aligns with her work by encouraging adaptive defenses and reinforcing the ego’s functioning. ERIK ERIKSON’s stages of psychosocial development also contribute to the understanding of ego functions. His work emphasized the role of the ego in navigating developmental stages and challenges. The ego-supportive approach draws on his theories of identity formation and ego integrity (Stages 5- Adolescence- 12-18 years old and stage 8- Old Age- 65 onward) encouraging clients to build a stronger, more cohesive self.
What is the ego-supportive approach’s main key feature or goal?
Reinforcing a client’s existing strengths, coping mechanisms, and self-esteem. The goal is to help the client feel validated, capable, and supported in managing stress and emotional or life challenges by building on what they already do well. It focuses on helping clients build a stronger, more stable sense of self by reinforcing their existing strengths and coping abilities and by encouraging self-reliance and empowerment. It’s about supporting the ego—the part of the psyche that helps people manage stress and maintain a sense of self in the face of external pressures. EXAMPLE: Using existing strengths to manage stress.
Differences between psychoanalytic therapy and ego-supportive approach
PSYCHOANALYSIS focuses on uncovering unconscious conflicts, repressed desires, and the deep-seated issues that influence a person’s thoughts and behavior. The goal is to make the unconscious conscious, often through techniques like free association, dream interpretation, and examining defense mechanisms. EGO-SUPPORTIVE APPROACH doesn’t focus on deep unconscious exploration. Instead, it’s about reinforcing the ego’s ability to handle stress and build up a client’s self-esteem without necessarily diving into repressed emotions or unconscious thoughts. It tends to be more focused on the HERE AND NOW, particularly how the client can better manage their emotional states and behaviors in real-time.
Why the Ego-Supportive Approach Doesn’t Focus on the Unconscious
Exploring unconscious motives might challenge the client’s existing defenses or self-concept, but the ego-supportive approach seeks to strengthen the client’s current coping skills and reinforce their sense of self-worth, not necessarily by delving into their unconscious mind.
The ego-supportive approach works from a standpoint of validation, encouraging clients to recognize their strengths and use those strengths to deal with life’s stresses, without necessarily confronting unconscious issues directly.
Ego integrity (Stage 8- 65 and older)
As people age, they look back on their life and evaluate whether they have lived meaningfully and according to their values. A person who has achieved ego integrity feels a sense of fulfillment, acceptance of their life as it was, and a sense of wholeness and peace. They feel that they have lived a good life, regardless of any regrets or challenges. DESPAIR (negative outcome): If individuals feel regret about their life choices or if they perceive their life as unfulfilled or wasted, they may experience despair. This leads to feelings of bitterness, hopelessness, and fear of death, as they are unable to reconcile their past with their expectations. It may relate to identity as a foundation for a meaningful life in adolescence and ego integrity as the wisdom and peace that come with reflecting on a well-lived life in later years.
Solution-focused therapy-definition
SFT is a short-term, goal-oriented therapeutic approach that emphasizes finding solutions to present problems rather than focusing on the problems themselves or exploring their origins in the past. This approach is rooted in the belief that individuals already have the strengths, skills, and resources they need to resolve their issues, and the role of the therapist is to help the client recognize and apply these resources to achieve desired outcomes.
Solution-focused therapy (SFT) key features
- FOCUS ON SOLUTIONS NOT PROBLEMS. SFT shifts the focus from exploring the root causes of issues to identifying practical solutions. It aims to help clients envision their preferred future and develop strategies to achieve that future. 2. HIGHLY GOAL-ORIENTED. Clients and therapists collaboratively set clear, achievable goals that are specific, measurable, and focused on change. 3. STRENGTHS-BASED. The therapist emphasizes the client’s existing strengths, resources, and abilities. The belief is that clients are not defined by their problems and that they can solve their issues. 4. FUTURE-FOCUSED. It encourages clients to think about how they want their lives to be and how they can take steps to make that vision a reality. 5. BRIEF & TIME-LIMITED. Typically 5 to 10 sessions. 6. CLIENT AS THE EXPERT. The therapist’s job is to ask questions that help her tap into their internal resources and identify practical solutions. 7. USE QUESTIONS TO PROMOTE CHANGE. Miracle Question: “If a miracle happened tonight and your problem was solved, what would be different tomorrow?”
Scaling Question: “On a scale of 1 to 10, where would you rate yourself in terms of handling this issue today? What would make it a 1-point increase?”
Exception-Seeking Question: “Can you recall a time when the problem was less intense or didn’t happen at all? What was different then?” 8. FOCUS ON SMALL CHANGES. Achievable changes that can lead to larger transformations over time. The emphasis is on building momentum through incremental progress. 9. COLLABORATION BETWEEN THERAPIST AND CLIENT.
Solution-focused therapy typical questions
Miracle Question: “If a miracle happened tonight and your problem was solved, what would be different tomorrow?”
Scaling Question: “On a scale of 1 to 10, where would you rate yourself in terms of handling this issue today? What would make it a 1-point increase?”
Exception-Seeking Question: “Can you recall a time when the problem was less intense or didn’t happen at all? What was different then?”
SFT is recommended for
- Mild to moderate depression and anxiety 2. Stress and coping issues (manageable steps to improve their situation, develop new ways to handle stress, and increase their sense of control). 3. Relationship issues. 4. Behavioral problems in children and adolescents (especially when addressing behavior issues at school or home. It helps them focus on positive behaviors and the potential for change). 5. Trauma recovery (post-trauma stress, NOT TRAUMA SURVIVORS) by focusing on their strengths and building resilience. 6. Grief & loss. 7. Substance use by helping them identify times they have been successful in avoiding or reducing use, and what small changes they can make to continue their progress. 8. Adjustment disorders- For individuals struggling with major life transitions (e.g., a new job, relocation, divorce), SFT can assist in finding practical solutions to help them adjust and move forward in a positive direction. 9. Chronic illness or pain- by focusing on how they can manage their condition, increase their quality of life, and reduce feelings of helplessness. 10. Crisis situations- when individuals need immediate relief and a sense of hope.
Adjustment disorder- definition
An Adjustment Disorder is a psychological condition characterized by an emotional or behavioral response to a significant life change or stressor that is more intense or prolonged than what would be expected. These responses can interfere with the individual’s ability to function in daily life. The stressor can be a single event (such as a breakup or job loss) or an ongoing situation (like chronic illness or an ongoing difficult relationship). The symptoms typically arise WITHIN 3 MONTHS of the identified stressor and may cause significant distress or impairment in social, occupational, or other important areas of functioning.
Adjustment disorders- key features
- Symptoms appear within 3 months of a specific stressor.
- Disproportionate response to the stressor, compared to what might be expected.
- Symptoms may include depression, anxiety, anger, difficulty concentrating, behavioral changes, and social withdrawal.
- Functional impairment in important areas of life, such as work, school, or relationships.
Symptoms of adjustment disorders
Emotional symptoms: sadness, hopelessness, feelings of overwhelm, anxiety, irritability, or anger.
Behavioral symptoms: withdrawal from social situations, difficulty concentrating, engaging in risk-taking behaviors, or performing poorly at work or school.
Physical symptoms: insomnia, headaches, stomach issues, or other stress-related complaints.
Cognitive symptoms: difficulty with decision-making, negative thoughts, or intrusive thoughts related to the stressor.
