exam

Question 1

ca treatment summary

Answer 1

assumes depression is caused by negative and irrational thoughts. therefore, suggests abnormality can be treated by challenging the patient to replace their thoughts with positive and rational cognitions

REBT, form of CBT used to treat patients with depression. structured 10-15 weekly 45min sessions in which the patient describes their negative self-schemas, negative automatic thoughts and negative cognitive biases

therapist tries persuading patient their irrational thinking is causing their depression using abcdef chart
- activating event, belief, consequence, disputing irrational belief, effects of disputing irrational belief and feelings produced

therapist aims to challenge their irrational beliefs via disputing techniques. used to replace irrational thoughts with rational beliefs

logical - does it make sense for me to think like this
empirical - is there any evidence to justify my thoughts
pragmatic - how useful is it for me to think like this

patient given homework tasks where clients negative thinking is tested and evidence evaluated e.g. diary records to monitor events and identify situations in which negative thinking occurs so these can be targeted.

Question 2

ca strength 1

Answer 2

supporting research evidence

Cuijpers et al 2013

performed a meta analysis of 75 studies which incorporated over 5 countries. found that cbt was superior the control group

suggests cbt is effective treatment for depression and due to using a meta analysis it can be concluded that effectiveness of cbt is found around the globe

Question 3

ca limit 2

Answer 3

limitation of cognitive therapies for depression is that success of cbt may be due to the therapist-patient relationship

rosenzweig 1936

suggested that quality of relationship between the client and therapist determines success rather than any particular technique

suggests that although cbt attempts to address/treat the cause of depression (irrational beliefs) disputing these beliefs may not be the therapies active ingredient, weakening its credability

Question 4

neural explanations

Answer 4

neural explanations of ocd believe that people develop ocd due to a genetic predisposition or biochemical imbalances in the brain

an explanations is the role of neurotransmitters, thought to be influenced by a number of genes

dopamine - regulated by comt gene

• faulty variation > increased levels travelling across synapse to post-synaptic receptors
• linked to compulsions

serotonin - regulated by sert gene

• faulty variation > decreased levels travelling across synapse to post-synaptic receptors
• linked to obsessions

faulty brain structure in orbitofrontal cortex

• responsible for converting information into thoughts and actions
• pet scns show higher activity there in patients with ocd
• increased activity causes sufferers to have difficulty ignoring impulses, developing into obsessions

ocd inherited through genes > gene mapping over 230 diff genes involved in increasing vulnerability to ocd

• evidence in cary and gottesman 1981
• mz twins 87 v dz 47
• genes alone x

Question 5

neural strength

Answer 5

supporting research evidence

nestadt et al 2010

found that antidepressants that work purely on the serotonin system are effective in reducing ocd symptoms

suggests that neural mechanisms including serotonin system are involved in ocd

Question 6

neural limit

Answer 6

biologically determinist

environmental risk factors can also trigger or increase the risk of developing ocd

cromer et al 2007 found that over 50% of ocd patients in their sample had a traumatic event in their past, and ocd was more severe in those with one or more traumas

causes us to question validity of biological explanations, as its clear that ocd is far more complex than just biological components and rather an interactionist approach which values both environmental and biological influences is best.