Psychopathology Flashcards
(5 cards)
Describe and evaluate two definitions of abnormality. (16)
AO1:
- Abnormal behaviour: goes against societal expectations about how to and not behave.
- Deviation from social norms. Behaviour that deviates from what is expected or ‘normal’ in society.
- Failure to function: an inability to cope with the demands of everyday life. Causing themselves or other people distress.
AO3:
Strength = Failure to function.
- Represents threshold for when people need help.
- Many people suffer with mild to moderate MH.
- When we cease to function is when people seek help or are referred.
- Services can be targeted to those who need them most.
Limitation = Failure to function.
- Label non-standard choices as abnormal.
- May not be failing to function, just deviating from social norms.
- E.G = not having a job.
- People who make unusual lifestyle choices may be labelled as abnormal.
Strength = Deviation from social norms.
- Useful.
- E.G = Defining characteristic of antisocial personality disorder is being unable to conform to normal societal behaviour.
- Can help identify MH issues.
- Has value in psychology.
Describe and evaluate the behavioural approach to explaining phobias. (16)
AO1:
- Phobia: anxiety disorder, extreme anxiety to a phobic stimulus causing avoidance.
- Two-process model.
- Classical conditioning causes acqusition of phobia, operant maintains the phobia.
- Little Albert study.
- SLT suggests phobias may be acquired through modelling others’ behaviour.
AO3:
Strength of two-process model = Real world application.
- Has been applied to exposure therapies.
- Two-process model helps to understand phobias are maintained by avoiding the stimulus, important to understand why people benefit from exposure therapy.
- Value of two-process approach.
Strength of two-process model = Evidence for link between bad experiences and phobias.
- Little Albert study.
- Jongh et al: 73% of people with fear of dentist had experienced a traumatic event. Control group of low anxiety, 21% experienced traumatic event.
- Association between stimulus and unconditional response.
Limitation of two-process model = Doesn’t account for cognitive aspects.
- Explains behaviour, key behaviour is avoidance.
- They also have a significant cognitive element.
- Model explains avoidance but no explanation for phobic cognitions.
- Doesn’t completely explain symptoms.
Describe and evaluate the behavioural approach to the treatment of phobias. (16)
AO1:
- Systematic desensitisation: gradual, new response to stimulus is learnt (counterconditioning), anxiety hierarchy, reciprocal inhibition/relaxation techniques, gradual exposure.
- Flooding: Immediate exposure, one long session, to learn the stimulus is harmless (extinction). Ethical issue: must give informed consent.
AO3:
Strength of SD = Can be used to treat people with learning difficulties.
- May struggle with cognitive therapies involving rational thought, this is better alternative.
- May be confused and distressed by using flooding.
- Approprite treatment.
Strength of flooding = Cost-effective.
- Within the NHS there has to be careful consideration into the costs of services.
- Can work in as little as one session, cost less but produce same results as SD.
- More people can be treated.
Limitation of flooding = Traumatic.
- Schumacher et al: patients and therapists rated flooding as much more stressful than SD.
- Ethical issue of psychological harm.
- Overall, therapists may avoid using this treatment.
Describe and evaluate the cognitive approach to explaining depression. (16)
AO1:
Beck’s negative triad:
- Faulty information processing/black and white thinking.
- Negative self schemas: misinterpretating all information about themselves negatively.
- Negative view of the world, future and self.
ABC model:
- Irrational thoughts: any thoughts that interupt us from being happy/free from pain.
- Activating event: thoughts are triggered by an event.
- Beliefs.
- Consequences.
AO3:
Strength of negative triad = Research support.
- Studies into cognitive vulnerability have helped to predict later depression.
- Study by Cohen et al: regularly measured CV in adolescents which predicted depression.
Strength of negative triad = Real-world application.
- Can identify people at risk of developing depression.
- Understanding CV’s can also be applied to CBT.
Strength of ABC model = Real-world application.
- REBT.
- Arguing with the depressed person to challenge irrational thoughts.
- Evidence to show that this is effective.
Limitation of ABC model = Partial explanation.
- Relates to depression being the cause of an event.
- However, it doesn’t explain endogenous depression.
Discuss the cognitive approach to treating depression. (16)
AO1:
CBT:
- Main am is to challenge irrational thoughts, change these and put more effective behaviours in place.
- Challenge reality of their thoughts.
- May be set homework to act as ‘evidence’ and to further challenge thoughts.
REBT:
- Extends the ABC model with dispute and effect.
- Involves the depressed patient being argued with to challenge reality of thoughts.
+ Behavioural activation: work with the patient to decrease their avoidance and increase engagement with socialising.
AO3:
Strength = Evidence for effectiveness
- March et al: compared patients who used CBT, drugs or a combination. The CBT plus drugs group had the best improvement.
- It is also cost-effective.
Limitation = May not be appropriate for all.
- Requires high cognitive abilities: may not suit those with learning disabilities.
- May not be effective for severe cases as they may not be able to motivate themselves to attend or engage.
- Only appropriate for specific people.
Limitation = Relapse rates.
- Effectively tackle symptoms but this may not last in the long term.
- Ali et al: assessed depression in 439 clients every month for 12 months following CBT, 42% relapsed after 6 months and 53% relapsed within a year.
