Disorders Flashcards
What is the key assumption of OCD?
physical basis
What is the genetic explanation for OCD?
increased risk of inheriting disorders
SERT gene - if not working low levels of seratonin in are produced
COMPT gene - if not working high levels of dopamine are produced
Ozaki looked at 2 unrelated families and discovered 6/7 members had OCD
Comstock found 86% chance of developing disorder if first degree relative has got it
What are the strengths of the genetic explanation of OCD?
• scientific credibility - methodology and empirical evidence
• research support -
Nesdadt found your 5x more likely to have OCD from family members than the general population
Billett 14 studies showing how one twin having OCD may affect the co-twin
• real world application
What are the weaknesses of the genetic explanation of OCD?
• there’s not 100% concordance rates - is there other factors? environmental, aquired (mowrer two process model)?
What is the neural explanation of OCD?
people with OCD have high levels of dopamine
animal studies have proven that does of drugs which increase dopamine to high levels cause the behaviours associated with OCD
low levels of seratonin - evidence of anti depressant drugs that increase seratonin have proven to decrease OCD symptoms.
What is a weakness of the neural explanation of OCD?
- not 100% concordance rates- does that mean there are other factors?
What is the key assumption of Phobias?
all behaviour is learnt
What is the behavioural explanation of Phobias?
Mowrer - 2 process model
classical (maladaptive association) and operant (negative reinforcement=avoidance)
social learning theory - modelling
What are the strengths of the behavioural explanation of Phobias?
- real world application
therapy, systematic desensitization and flooding - credability
supported by controlled lab experiments
What are the weaknesses of the behavioural explanation of Phobias?
- Determinism
1. no stimulus
2. different phobias are aquired by different processes - Reductionism
biological preparedness
nature or hardwired phobias
What is the key assumption of Depression?
faulty thinking
what is the cognitive explanation of depression?
Albert Ellis- ABC model
A ctivating event
B elief
C onsequences
Mustabatory thinking - certain things must be true to a person for them to be happy;
1. i must be approved of or accepted by people i find important
2. i must do well, else i am worthless
3. the world must give me happiness, else i will die
Beck- Negative Triad
negative views of the world
negative views of the future
negative views of yourself
What are the strengths of the cognitive explanation of depression?
- research support
depressed participants make more errors when asked to internet written material than non depressed participants - RWA
CBT
What are the weaknesses of the cognitive explanation of depression?
- blames the patient
- irrational beliefs could be realistic
- alternative explanations (biological?)
What is a treatment used for OCD?
chemotherapy, 4-6 weeks until see effect, antidepressants
Gava
anti depressants are very common, SSRI’s (prozac) increasing seratonin
SSRI’s block reabsorbtion of seratonin
Tricyclics e.g. clomipramine
stronger with more side effects, offered as a second resort
