Clinical Psych - 327 Flashcards
(33 cards)
APA definition of Clinical Psychology. (L1)
An integration of science, theory and clinical knowledge. For the purposes of understanding, preventing and relieving psychologically-based distress or dysfunction to promote subjective and behavioural well being.
What is the purpose of the assessment stage as part of the clinical psychologists job? (L1)
To measure and gain insight into the nature of the psychologically or behavioural problems. To establish a cause and assist in planning treatment.
What is a clinical interview and what does it involve? (L1)
The first form of contact with the clinician to gain insight into their problems.
Involves questions on symptoms, history, living and working.
Questions vary depending on the theoretical orientation of the clinician.
What are some of the limitations of the clinical interview? (L1)
Low reliability and interviewer bias.
Different psychologists ask different questions and have different interpretations.
Can be biased by irrelevant factors.
What are psychological tests used for in clinical psychology? (L1)
Quantitative assessments used to assess the client on one or more specific characteristics e.g. anxiety, depression, paranoia.
Rigid response requirements allowing for the application of a standardized system.
What is validity? (L1)
Whether something measures what it is claiming to measure.
What is reliability? (L1)
Whether something is consistent over time and shows changes.
What are personality inventories and what do they involve? (L1)
A psychological test that describes patterns of behaviour, thoughts and feelings.
Detailed and broad, measuring mood, physical concerns, attitudes, well-being etc.
Can gauge whether a client is telling the truth.
E.g. Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory.
What are specific trait inventories and what do they involve? (L1)
Psychological tests that measures functioning in one specific area or one specific psychopathology.
E.g. The Obsessive Beliefs Questionnaire - assesses beliefs and appraisals that lead to the acquisition and maintenance of obsessions.
What are projective tests and what do they involve? (L1)
Psychological tests where a set of ambiguous stimuli are presented for the client to interpret in their own way.
Aims to reveal unconscious psychological dynamics.
E.g. The Rorschach Inkblot Test
What are sentence completion tests and what do they involve? (L1)
Projective psychological tests that involve the clinician providing the client with the first part of a sentence that they must then complete in their own words.
E.g. war veterans with PTSD may are more likely to complete with war and battle themes (Kimble et al., 2002)
What are intelligence tests and what do they involve? (L1)
Tests that measure a clients IQ in comparison to a population of people with similar characteristics.
Used for a number of purposes, such as, diagnosing learning disabilities, identifying areas of need and research.
E.g. the Leiter R intelligence test - used for children with speech difficulties.
What are neurological impairment tests and what do they involve? (L1)
Psychological tests used to identify psychopathologies caused by damage to the structure and functioning of the brain or CNS.
Tests can include EEG, PET, fMRI and blood tests.
What are clinical observations and what do they involve? (L1)
Tests used in addition to psychological tests to assess behaviour in its natural context. Involves recording behaviour frequencies and allows for the identification of events that trigger or reinforce behaviours.
What is the purpose of the formulation stage of a psychologists job? (L1)
To generate an understanding of the clients difficulties and develop a treatment plan using the information gained during the assessment stage.
What is the medical approach to establishing a diagnosis? (L1)
To establish a diagnosis using the ‘International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Healthy Problems’ (ICD-10) or the ‘Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders’ (DSM-V)
What are Pearson’s six formulation components for diagnosis? (L1)
1) Create a list of clients problems
2) Identify and describe the underlying psychological mechanisms that might be mediating the problems
3) Understand the way that these psychological mechanisms generate the clients problems
4) Identify the events that may have precipitated the clients problems
5) Identify how these precipitating events may have caused the current problems through the proposed psychological mechanisms
6) Develop a treatment plan based on these explanations and predict any obstacles
What are some the advantages of Pearsons formulation components over a standard diagnosis? (L1)
1) Provides a flexible and idiosyncratic understanding of each clients problems irrespective of diagnostic labels
2) Doesn’t treat the client as a label
3) Based on a theoretical understanding of causal psychopathology
4) Can include info about a client’s history and their personal, social and familial circumstances
5) Allows development of treatment strategies moulded to the individuals needs
What does the intervention stage of a clinical psychologists job involve? (L1)
Using a psychological model or therapeutic approach to facilitate the relief of problems.
Involves formal relationships between the CP and client.
What does the psychodynamic approach assume? (L1)
Based on psychoanalysis work by Freud. Assumes that unconscious conflict develops in early life and psychodynamic intervention can identify these events.
How did the behavioural approach emerge and what does it assume? (L1)
Emerged in the 40s and 50s after unsatisfaction with the psychodynamic approach.
Behaviourism was turned to for objective knowledge that could inform conceptualisation and treatment.
Assumes that psychological disorders were a result of ‘faulty learning’ and symptoms were acquired through a simple conditioning process.
What are some of the treatment techniques of the behavioural approach? (L1)
Flooding, systematic desensitisation, exposure therapy, aversion therapy and functional analysis.
What does the cognitive approach assume? (L1)
Assumes that some psychopathologies are caused by dysfunctional thinking about the self or the world, or dysfunctional processing and interpretation of incoming information.
Tries to target and change dysfunctional processing.
What is involved in CBT? (L1)
Cognitive Behavioural Therapy
The client keeps a diary noting how events, feelings, moods and thoughts occur.
The CP helps the client to challenge irrational, dysfunctional or biased thinking.
The client is trained to think, behave and react differently in a situation that evokes their psychopathology.
