Chapter 13 & Lecture 10

Question 1

What is the focus of process research in therapy?

Answer 1

Process research in therapy aims to examine patterns evident within and across therapy sessions and understand the therapeutic process and what is going on in therapy.

Question 2

How does process-outcome research differ from process research?

Answer 2

Process-outcome research examines how therapeutic process variables affect therapy outcomes, whereas process research focuses on understanding the patterns and dynamics within therapy sessions.

Question 3

What are some client factors that can influence treatment outcomes other than the diagnosis?

Answer 3

Relevant client factors include socioeconomic status, ethnicity, gender, age, symptom severity, functional impairment, personality disorders, ego strength, psychological mindedness, psychological reactance, and treatment expectations.

Question 4

What are therapist factors that can impact a client’s response to treatment?

Answer 4

Therapist factors include being trained in a mental health discipline, therapist experience, emotional well-being, and self-disclosure. The sum of a therapist’s personal qualities is also important, as clients of effective therapists tend to feel more understood.

Question 5

What treatment factors have been identified as important to achieving change in therapy?

Answer 5

Some relevant treatment factors include interpretation, directiveness, insight vs. symptom reduction, and between-session assignments. These factors may have varying effects depending on the client’s characteristics and the therapeutic approach used.

Question 6

What are some challenges in conducting research in this field?

Answer 6

Research in this area may face challenges due to different studies assessing variables in different ways, making it harder to synthesize findings. Additionally, research is generally correlational, which means causal inferences cannot be made, and the effects may vary depending on how well a technique is matched to a client.

Question 7

What are some elements that have been identified as important for effective psychotherapy relationships?

Answer 7

Demonstrably effective elements of psychotherapy relationships include alliance, cohesion in group therapy, empathy, collecting client feedback, adapting to client reactance/resistance level, adapting to client treatment preferences, and adapting to client culture/religion/spirituality.

Question 8

What is the role of clinical neuropsychologists?

Answer 8

Clinical neuropsychologists apply knowledge of brain-behavior relationships in the assessment and remediation of neurological injuries/illnesses, addressing their effects on functioning. They are involved in assessing cognitive functioning, emotional, behavioral, and psychosocial difficulties, and functional status of individuals with neurological problems.

Question 9

What is the role of community psychology, and what are some aims of this field?

Answer 9

Community psychology emphasizes the role of environmental forces in creating and alleviating problems. Its aims include prevention, empowerment, understanding and appreciating diversity, and focusing on social intervention to address problems at a community level.

Question 10

What is the main focus of consultation in community psychology?

Answer 10

Consultation in community psychology involves providing assistance and advice to individuals, organizations, and communities to solve problems, make decisions, and enhance skills and resources for change.

Question 11

How do adults typically seek psychological services?

Answer 11

Adult psychotherapy involves an individual seeking services after recognizing a problem.

Question 12

Why do young people rarely refer themselves for psychological services?

Answer 12

Young people are brought for psychological services by adults who are troubled or concerned about their behavior.

Question 13

What factors can lead to an imperfect match between views on a young person’s problem?

Answer 13

There can be an imperfect match between the views of young people, their parents, and their teachers on the nature of the problem.

Question 14

Why is informed consent important in psychological services?

Answer 14

Psychological services cannot be imposed on a client, and informed consent is required.

Question 15

What are some reasons why young people may not believe there is a problem?

Answer 15

Young people may not believe there is a problem due to different perspectives or not recognizing the issue.

Question 16

Why might adolescents and their parents differ in their views on the need for treatment?

Answer 16

Parents generally serve as gatekeepers for psychological services for their children, but there may be differences in their understanding of the child’s problem.

Question 17

What factors influence a youth’s participation in therapy and symptom improvements?

Answer 17

The parent-therapist alliance is related to participation in therapy, while the youth-therapist alliance is related to symptom improvements.

Question 18

What are some legal issues around consent for psychological services for children and adolescents?

Answer 18

Consent laws may vary depending on the type of agency offering services and may be based on age or the young client’s ability to understand treatment.

Question 19

How can risk and protective factors influence psychological services for children’s disorders?

Answer 19

Psychological services for children’s psychological disorders must address the context in which the child’s problem developed and is maintained, considering both risk and protective factors.

Question 20

What did early studies on child psychotherapy efficacy show?

Answer 20

Early studies were inconclusive, but subsequent meta-analyses have shown evidence for the efficacy of child psychotherapy.

Question 21

How did meta-analyses impact the field of psychology?

Answer 21

Meta-analyses revolutionized psychology by offering decision rules for synthesizing data from studies and reporting findings using a common metric.

Question 22

Why might the results of meta-analyses based on published studies be biased?

Answer 22

Journals are more likely to publish studies with statistically significant findings, leading to potential overestimation of effect sizes from child psychotherapy studies.

Question 23

What did the meta-analysis of follow-up studies reveal?

Answer 23

Follow-up studies provided encouraging evidence that treatment effects were evident not only at the end of services but also six months later.

Question 24

What are researchers focusing on to find more precise answers about childhood disorders?

Answer 24

Researchers are examining the research on efficacious treatments for different types of childhood disorders to gain more precise answers.

Question 25

What group of youth did evidence-based treatments show superiority in helping?

Answer 25

Evidence-based treatments showed superiority in helping minority youth and youth with the most severe problems.

Question 26

What is the role of expert review panels in translating research findings into practice guidelines?

Answer 26

Expert review panels evaluate research findings and develop evidence-based practice guidelines to guide mental health professionals in using effective treatments.

Question 27

What are the five methodological criteria used in research reviews to consider a treatment “well-established”?

Answer 27

The five methodological criteria are a randomized controlled design, clear definition of the treatment, specified inclusion criteria, psychometrically sound evaluation of outcome, and appropriate analyses on a sufficient sample size.

Question 28

What types of approaches are most effective in treating childhood disorders?

Answer 28

Most effective treatments for childhood disorders fall under the umbrella of behavioural, cognitive-behavioural, and interpersonal approaches, often involving the involvement of parents in the treatment process.

Question 29

What is the primary focus of evidence-based parenting programs for disruptive behaviour disorders?

Answer 29

Evidence-based parenting programs focus on modifying the child’s social environment through behavioural techniques, encouraging appropriate behaviours, and discouraging unacceptable behaviours.

Question 30

What is Multisystemic Therapy (MST) designed to treat?

Answer 30

MST is designed to treat seriously disturbed delinquent adolescents by intervening in an integrated way in the multiple systems in which they are involved.

Question 31

According to ecological theory, what does MST consider when working with youth?

Answer 31

Ecological theory examines a young person’s functioning within the multiple contexts in which he or she lives—family, school, neighborhood, etc. MST works with youth within the context of numerous systems, including the nuclear family, extended family, neighborhood, school, peer, community, juvenile justice, child welfare, and mental health.

Question 32

What are the goals of Multisystemic Therapy?

Answer 32

The goals of MST are positive and future-oriented. MST uses a behavioral approach that integrates services so that gains in one area will generalize to other contexts. The effectiveness of treatment is evaluated continuously from the perspective of multiple stakeholders, including the youth, parents, and others in the educational, health, and justice systems. MST is time-limited, lasting only three to five months. However, it is very intense, with therapists available 24 hours a day and seven days a week to respond to crises.

Question 33

What are the three main components of the Coping with Depression in Adolescence (CWDA) program?

Answer 33

The three main components of CWDA are behavioral interventions, cognitive techniques, and affective strategies. Behavioral interventions include increasing pleasant activities and developing problem-solving, assertiveness, communication, and conflict resolution skills. Cognitive techniques include positive self-talk, self-monitoring, coping, and cognitive restructuring. Affective strategies involve learning strategies for dealing with negative emotions, including relaxation and anger management.

Question 34

How is the CWDA program delivered, and what age group does it target?

Answer 34

The CWDA program is delivered in a group format with 6 to 10 depressed adolescents aged 13 to 18 in each group. It includes 16 two-hour sessions scheduled over an eight-week period and uses a workbook with readings, quizzes, and forms for homework. The program is designed to be engaging for young people, using popular newspaper cartoons to illustrate common dysfunctional thoughts.

Question 35

What is the evidence regarding the effectiveness of evidence-based treatments for children and adolescents compared to usual care?

Answer 35

Meta-analyses indicate that evidence-based treatments for children and adolescents are more effective than usual care. Studies have shown that youth receiving evidence-based psychotherapy have better outcomes than 60% of youth receiving usual care.

Question 36

What is the modular approach to treatment, and what advantages does it offer?

Answer 36

The modular approach involves flexibly delivering treatment modules that integrate evidence-based approaches as needed to address multiple problems in youth. It holds promise in the dissemination of evidence-based psychological services for youth and allows for tailoring of services for individual needs.

Question 37

What are some of the challenges in providing psychological services for children and adolescents?

Answer 37

Challenges in providing psychological services for children and adolescents include encouraging treatment research that is more clinically representative, understanding the specific ingredients of successful treatment, and promoting the use of evidence-based treatments in real-world settings.