408 Flashcards
What is process-based therapy?
Personalized trans diagnostic psychotherapy based on patient mechanisms
What is a mediator?
Answers questions about why/how
Reveals mechanisms
IV —> mediator —> DV
What is a moderator?
Answers questions about for whom/to what extent
Tells us about individual differences in response to an intervention
Affects strength/irection of the relationship between IV and DV
What are some problems about treatments that target symptoms?
These treatments are based on the way we conceptualizer disorders and diagnose ppl with the DSM-5. This has limitations bc different disorders get different treatments even if they have the same mechanisms maintaining it.
Disorders may not be as independent from one another as the DSM claims—> comorbidity is extremely common, share similar symptoms, may have common mechanisms (i.e. avoidance, cognitive fusion, rumination)
How does process-based therapy differ from outcome based therapy?
Not focused on symtom
Focused on the contextual factors and contingencies that will reveal the personalized mechanisms for that specific patient
HOW does treatment assignment relate to different outcomes?
What change procedures work best at treating this core mechanism?
Seek to uncover mediators and moderators
What necessary conditions must be met for a mechanism to be considered a mediator?
1.Mechanism must be malleable/changeable
- The intervention (IV) and the outcome (DV) must relate to the mechanism
- Effect is specific and can be replicated across studies
- Temporal associations need to be made in that a change in IV leads to a change in the mechanism which will then lead to a change in DV
- Statistical significance does not guarantee a legitimate mechanism
What techniques can be used to detect mechanisms?
-What happens to the behavior when the contingencies are changed?
- Use functional analysis (ABC) so that we can test through experimental manipulation each hypothesized function
-Use ecological moment assessment (self-reports, fitness watch) to gather info about patient
- Use this data to create a personalized model using statistical approaches such as network modelling to understand connections among processes
What change procedures would be used to combat these change processes?
Cognitive fusion
Avoidance
Emotion dysregulation
Cognitive diffusion achieved through mindfulness
Avoidance targeted through exposure
Emotional regulation achieved through cognitive reappraisal/restructuring
What dimensions can we personalize psychotherapy?
- Diagnosis —> treatment selection
- Specific symptoms or psychological processes —> treatment selection
-Personality traits —> treatment selection
-Pre-existing psychological skills(i.e. capitalization/compensation —> will affect order of targeted therapy skills)
-Response to treatment (or lack thereof —>change treatment)
-Change in mechanisms over time - Session frequency (weekly vs biweekly)
- Length of treatment (Brief vs Full)
What are the core treatment models of the Unified Protocol (a trans diagnostic treatment) ?
- understanding emotions (awareness)
-Increasing present-focused emotional awareness (mindfulness)
-Increasing cognitive flexibility
- Identifying/preventing patterns of emotional avoidance and maladaptive emotion-driven behaviors
-Increasing tolerance/awareness of emotion-related physical sensations
-Interoceptive (fear of fear) and situation based emotion-focused exposure
What research evidence supports UP when it was compared to waitlist control for anxiety disorders? What are the limitations?
-Outperforms waitlist
-Can work on multiple symptoms (anxiety/depression symptoms, positive affect, increased daily functioning)
-Effects maintained after 6 months
Limitations:
-No comparison to a diagnostic specific treatment
-Limited data with other populations with problems with emotion regulation (i.e did not look at ED,BPD,etc)
What is a SMART design?
Sequential multiple assignment randomized trial) —>multiple levels of randomization
Explain Zavala study using SMART design to test the Unified Protocol as their basis for personalized psychotherapy
3 conditions:
1.Full standard treatment group —> patients received all UP modules in order described in the published manual
- Capitalization group —> Patients received modules that focused on their strengths
- Compensation group —> Patients received modules that focused on their weaknesses
They were then randomized to stop after 6 sessions or complete treatment in full (2-3 modules or all 5)
Reasons for this randomization:
-does personalizing the sequence of modules have an effect on symptom improvement?
-Can treatment be brief?
More compensation in modules:
1. Understanding emotion
2.Mindful emotion awareness
More capitalization in modules:
1. Countering emotional behaviors
2. Confronting physical sensations (interoceptive)
Outcomes:
- No difference in symptom outcomes —> treatment can be shortened and order of modules does not matter
- Ps preferred full over brief and standard/capitalization over compensation
Who was dialectical behaviour therapy designed for?
individuals with chronic suicidality or parasuicidality behaviors who did not respond to CBT treatment
In response to the challenging nature of suicidal behaviours —> recognized more support needed for both patient and therapist
What is Linehan’s Biosocial theory of borderline personality disorder?
Emotionally vulnerable person :
- strong emotions
-quick to react
-trouble neutralizing emotions
PLUS
An invalidating environment
EQUALS
Problems with:
-Ability to understand and label feelings
-Coping skills
-emotion modulation
In DBT, what are patients’ counterintuitive dilemma?
- Emotional vulnerability vs self-invalidation —> switch between wanting attention vs. Telling themselves they are overreacting
- Unrelenting crisis vs. Inhibited grieving —> Always finding problems vs. Having trouble allowing themselves to feel stress when there IS something wrong
- Active passivity vs. Apparent competence —> Approach life in a passive way vs appearing to be able to hold themselves together
How should therapists approach patient’s in DBT?
- Accept client as they are but encourage change
- Centred and firm by setting boundaries but flexible when needed
- Nurturing and empathetic but benevolently demanding in order to push client beyond where they think they can go.
What is the wise mind?
Want to balance/incorporate between the rational mind and the emotional mind.
Can be achieved through mindfulness
Want to balance between change/solving problem vs accepting and validating themselves
What are the components of DBT treatment?
- Individual therapy sessions
- Group skills training sessions —> to work on skills with others
- Telephone contact —> during crisis before self-harm to deescalate situation
- therapist consultation meetings > to support therapist
Must commit to all parts of treatment for min. 1 year.
What are the 5 functions of DBT?
- Enhancing capabilities
-Improve life skills in the context of group sessions
2.Generalizing capabilities
- Homework assignments so practice skills in natural environment
- Improving motivation and reducing dysfunctional behaviours
-accomplished through individual therapy - Enhancing and maintaining therapist motivation and capabilities
-through therapist consultation - Structuring environment
- To maximize effective behaviour/progressand not reinforce maladaptive behaviour (i.e. do not engage with client if they call after cutting)
-Client needs to change their environment too —> cutting out toxic ppl
What is the hierarchy of therapy targets?
- Suicidal and parasuicidal behaviours (cutting)
-Therapy interfering behaviors (cancelations)
-Behaviors that interfere with quality of life (ed behaviour)
-behaviors related to post-traumatic stress
-improve self-esteem
-individual targets negatiated with client
WHAT IS DONE IN THERAPY ISN”T NECESSARILY WHAT THE CLIENT BRINGS TO THE TABLE
What is a diary card used for in DBT?
Client self-monitors their behaviors during the past week
Used to prioritize session time
If they didn’t engage in maladaptive behaviors, what did they do otherwise? Did they use their skills learned in therapy?
What are the 4 skills learned in DBT?
1.Mindfulness skills
- Observe, describe, participate
- Non-judgementally using wise
Mind
2. Interpersonal effectiveness skills
- objectiveness (interactions aren’t only focus on one’s objective), relationship with others, self-respect —> setting personal boundaries
3. Emotion regulation skills
-Identify and describe emotions, ride the wave, do not oppose emotions
4. Distress tolerance skills
- distraction, self-soothing, acceptance
What were the findings of DBT compared to community treatment (CBTE) for BPD women with suicidal behaviors?
DBT had:
-less dropout and change of therapist than CBTE
-half the rate of suicide attempts as CBTE
-Less use of crisis services and hospital admissions than CBTE
Both interventions improved symptoms of depression, suicidal ideation, and reasons for living
No difference in non-suicidal self injury between groups
What is some miscellaneous research evidence for DBT
-Shortened version of DBT is efficacious for suicidal adolescents
- As efficacious as CBT to treat BN and BED
- Just teaching DBT skills (without the full package) can be helpful in symptom improvement —> can be a stand-alone treatment
How does DBT work for jail inmates?
Inmates unselected for emotional/behavioral problems —>treated everyone
No statistical significance in coping skills or emotional/behavioural regulation —> likely due to small sample size (N=16)
Participant feedback was positive
What is psychodynamic therapy and give some examples?
-Originates from psychoanalysis ( but shorter with less analysis)
-Focus on unconscious processes that impact client’s present behaviour
Ex:
1. Short-term psychodynamic therapy
2. Mentalization-based therapy (for borderline)
3. Transference-focused psychotherapy (for personality disorders)
What are humanistic/experiential therapies and what are some examples?
-originates from Roger’s client centered therapy
-Based on the premise that individuals are self-actualizing —> can be the best versions of themselves
Ex:
Gestalt therapy
Existential therapy
Emotion-focused therapy
Other
Interpersonal psychotherapy
Why was interpersonal psychotherapy originally developed?
Developed as a supportive control condition for pharmacotherapy for treating depression
-shown to be equally effective
What distinguishes psychodynamic and humanistic therapies from CBT?
- A focus on affect and the expression of emotions
-not solely intellectual insight but also emotional insight
-encourage expression rather than management/control
-want to draw attention to negative feelings - Explore patient’s attempts to avoid topics or engage in activities that hinder therapy process
-figure out why they are resistant to change —> what is the unconscious meaning - Identify patterns of actions, thoughts, feelings, experiences, relationships, etc.
-Interested in more than just thoughts
-patterns are identified through interpretation —> reveal to client and see if it rings true to them or if they’re defensive - An emphasis on past experienc
-Identify origin of patient difficulties and how they manifest
-Still want to focus mainly on the present but incorporate past to the extent that it is possible - A focus on interpersonal experiences
- What problematic relationships do they have? Do they have trouble seeing how they impact others through their own behaviour? - Emphasis on therapeutic relationship
-TR is a medium of chance —> if boundaries can be set with therapist, they can generalize this to their real life
-Talk about transference - Explore patient’s wishes, dreams and fantasies
-Gives us clues to unconscious functioning
What is the goal, structure and candidature of short-term psychodynamic therapy?
Goals:
Short term —> symptom relief
Long-term —> character change (hope they will generalize skills)
Work on 1 area of focus
Structure:
-once a week for <1 year (16 sessions)
-Therapist must keep focus on chosen area
Candidature:
-Patient should be psychologically minded, insightful and motivated —> must be ready for change
-patient must have capacity to engage/disengage