Psychopathology Evaluations

Question 1

Positive and Negative Evaluations of the Behaviourist Approach to Phobias

Answer 1

Watson and Rayner found through Little Albert that phobias can be acquired through association

Not all phobias follow trauma. Some people do not know why they fear something and may not be the result of conditioning

Question 2

Evaluation of systematic desensitisation and flooding

Answer 2

SD- Patients tend to prefer systematic desensitisation as it is not as traumatic as flooding. It also includes some pleasant elements (relaxation)

F- It can be highly traumatic. But can be more efficient and therefore cheaper

Both- may not translate from a therapists office to the real world

Question 3

Supporting evidence for Beck (evaluations for the cognitive approach to depression)

Answer 3

Grazioli and Terry 2000 assessed 65 pregnant women for cognitive vulnerability and depression before and after birth
Those high in cognitive vulnerability were more likely to suffer post-natal depression

Question 4

Negative Evaluations for the cognitive approach to depression

Answer 4

Blames the person with depression rather than the situation

Question 5

Positive Evaluation of CBT

Answer 5

-March et al 2007 supports its effectiveness in reducing symptoms of depression

Question 6

Positive Evaluation of CBT and Drug Treatment used together

Answer 6

Keller et al 2000

Recovery rates from depression
-55% with drugs
-52% with CBT
-85% when used together

Question 7

Negative Evaluation of CBT

Answer 7

Depression can be so severe that patients cannot motivate themselves to engage in therapy

This means that CBT cannot be the sole treatment in all cases

Question 8

Comparing CBT and Drug treatments

Answer 8

CBT avoids withdrawal symptoms and side effects
Patient also feels more empowered and in control

Yet Drugs work faster and require less commitment

Question 9

Evaluations of biological explanation for OCD

Answer 9

Nestadt found DZ twins have a 32% concordance rates + MZ have 68% suggesting the additional shared DNA is responsible for the increased concordance

Family studies could be used to explain environmental influences

Question 10

Positive Evaluation of biological treatments

Answer 10

Soormo 2009

Reviewed 3000 participants and found SSRIs were effective in treating OCD compared to placebos

Drugs are cost-effective and non-disruptive
cheap in comparison to psychological treatments

Question 11

Negative Evaluations of biological treatments

Answer 11

Address symptoms rather than the underlying cause

A significant minority receive no benefit or suffer from side-effects (weight gain, dry mouth, sexual dysfunction and loses of memory)