PSYCHOPATHOLOGY Flashcards
(22 cards)
2 strengths of behavioural explanation of phobias
1) Real-world application: behavioural therapies including systematic desensitisation are effective, Gilroy found a group who did 3 sessions of SD were less fearful than a control group after 3 months, and after 3 years
2) Evidence for a link between bad experiences causing phobias: Little Albert study conditioned him to fear white rats, HOWEVER not all phobias come from bad experience and vice versa
Limitation of the behavioural explanation of phobias
Reductionism: does not account for cognitive aspects of phobias, e.g. many phobias come from an irrational belief, e.g. that puppies are deadly
2 strengths of Beck’s negative triad cognitive explanation of depression
1) Support for cognitive vulnerability: Clark and Beck found cog. vulnerability was common in depressed individuals, even preceded the depression
2) Real-world application: Beck’s CBT is effective treatment, similar efficacy level (81%) as drug therapies
Limitation of Beck’s negative triad cognitive explanation of depression
-) partial explanation: cannot explain certain symptoms of depression, e.g. extreme anger, delusions and hallucinations
Strength of Ellis’ ABC model cognitive explanation of depression
Real-world application: REBT therapy (a form of CBT) changes the underlying irrational beliefs, so has a relatively low relapse rates compared to drug therapy (53% within first year)
Limitation of Ellis’ ABC model cognitive explanation of depression
Does not explain endogenous depression: many cases of depression are traceable to life events and the cause is not obvious, ABC model is less useful for this
Strength of cognitive treatment of depression (CBT)
Evidence for efficacy: March found improvement in symptoms in a group of depressed adolescents was 81% for CBT, the same for drug therapy. HOWEVER, they are more effective when used together 86%
2 limitations of cognitive treatment of depression
1) Unsuitable for diverse clients: in extreme cases of depression, people may lack motivation to engage. Clients with learning disabilities may struggle with complex rational thinking
2) Relapse rates: Ali found 53% of CBT clients relapsed within a year
Strength of the genetic (biological) explanation of OCD
Twin studies: Nedstadt review found 68% concordance rate in MZ twins compared with 31% in DZ twins
Limitation of the genetic (biological) explanation of OCD
Environmental factors: Cromer found over half of sample of OCD clients had a traumatic experience in the past
Strength of the neural (biological) explanation of OCD
Efficacy of antidepressants: antidepressants that work purely on serotonin are effective, suggests serotonin may be involved HOWEVER treatment aetiological fallacy = just because something treats an issue, does not mean that was the cause
Limitation of the neural (biological) explanation of OCD
Co-morbidity issues: many people with OCD also have depression (which involves disruption to serotonin activity), so links with serotonin may just come from co-morbidity with depression
2 strengths of biological treatments (drugs) of OCD
1) efficacy of SSRIs: Soomro found SSRIs reduce treatments in around 70% of people, HOWEVER Skapninakis review found behavioural and cognitive treatments were more effective
2) Practical treatment: cost-effective, so good for NHS, and requires no time commitment (like therapy) so no daily disruption
Limitation of biological treatments (drugs) of OCD
Side effects: SSRIs can cause blurred vision, indigestion. Tricyclic clomipramine - 1 in 10 have weight gain and erection issues. This reduces efficacy as people may not take them
2 strengths of systematic desensitisation behavioural treatment of phobias
1) Evidence for efficacy: Gilroy found a group who did 3 sessions of SD were less fearful than a control group after 3 months, and after 3 years
2) Learning disabilities: SD is more appropriate than cognitive therapies that require rational thought for those with learning disabilities
Strength of flooding behavioural treatment of phobias
Cost-effective: usually only one 2-3 hour long flooding session is required for flooding, whereas systematic desensitisation may require around 10 sessions, so flooding is better for NHS
Limitation of flooding behavioural treatment of phobias
Traumatic and stressful: confronting a phobic stimulus is stressful for the patient and therapist, may present an ethical issue. Furthermore, the traumatic nature means a higher dropout rate
Name the 4 definitions of abnormality
1) statistical infrequency
2) deviation from social norms
3) deviation from ideal mental health
4) failure to function adequately
Strength and limitation of statistical infrequency definition of abnormality
+) real-world application: diagnoses of intellectual disability disorder requires bottom 2% of IQ scores (below 70)
-) unusual characteristic ≠ bad: IQ over 130 is just as infrequent, yet is not a problem
Strength and limitation of deviation from social norms definition of abnormality
+) real-world application: lack of ethical standards used to diagnose psychopathy
-) subjective: 100 years ago, homosexuality was against social norms yet was not a mental disorder
Strength and limitation of failure to function adequately definition of abnormality
+) indicates when help is needed: allows mental health services to be prioritised
-) non-standard lifestyle ≠ abnormal: not having a job or permanent address is not a failure to function for some people e.g. Aboriginal communities
Strength and limitation of deviation from ideal mental health
+) Comprehensive criteria: Jahoda’s ideal mental health criteria cover most reasons we would require help for
-) culture-bound: criteria of “independence” is only relevant in individualist, not collectivist, cultures
