Health Psychology Flashcards
What did pengpid 2013 do
Screening and brief interviews for hazardous and harmful alcohol use among hospital outpatients in south Africa
Results from randomised control trial
What are 3 strengths of pengpid 2013
- Generalisability - longitudinal study as it was carried out for 12 months meaning pps dropped out. 392 pps in baseline down to 282 in 12 month follow up. Therefore 70% still returned after 12 months meaning it isn’t biased in terms of its generalisably
2.reliability - DV measurements were kept standardised, Use of AUDIT test to measure alcohols intake. The health laferlt were kept the same for every pp and the follow up period was the same (6-12 months). Therefore its replicable
- Ethics - volunteer sampling was use, outpatients were screened so consent was given. Those with menta
What are 3 weaknesses of pengpid 2013
- Generalisability - the sample was ethnocentric as there was only 392 adults from South Africa. Therefore lacks population validity as its not generalisable
- Attrition - the drop out rate was high over the 12 month period was 29% left by the final AUDIT measurements of alcohol. Therefore sample was less representative
- Internal validity - self report method was used by AUDIT test meaning pps can submit inaccurate responses, social desirability. Therefore cause and effect conclusion are not valid
What are randomised control trials
One group has therapy whilst the control group doesn’t
They are equal in terms of other characteristics
Pps are randomly allocated to the treatment group or the control group
How are randomised Control trials carried out by
Using random computer generators which remove researcher bias so pps have an equal chance of going into either groups
What is placebo
A substance or a treatment that isn’t the actual treatment being measured but acts like one so pps can’t tell the difference
What are placebo controlled trials
One group gets the actual treatment, other group gets placebo treatment
Pps wont be told which group they’re in therefore it’s a single blind trial
So valid measure of effects of drugs
Sometimes researchers know either, double blind trial which prevents researcher bias
What are 2 health methods
Randomised control trials
PET scanning
What are 2 strengths of randomised control trials
- Validity - if the 2 groups are equal and everything is controlled apart from the IV (2 groups - treatment or control) the the valid-cause-and-effect conclusions can be drawn because the effectiveness of the treatment group can be compares to the control group
- Validity - using single and double blind techniques can help avoid the placebo effect and reduce he chance of researcher bias, demand characteristics which improves validity
What are 2 weaknesses of randomised control trials
- Unethical - the treatment group gets the treatment whereas the control doesn’t. So treatment group gets benefits whilst the other is deprived. This can be overcome by placing the control group on the waiting list so they get the treatment at the end of the trial
- Validity - pps can improve by what they perceive to be treatment program no matter what the treatment is, this is the placebo effect, this lowers accuracy of measuring ow effective the treatment s compared to the control list
What does a PET scan involve
A radioactive tracer that is injected into the body which is added to a glucose solution that gets used up in the parts of the brain where there is activity
What does the radioactive tracer do
Breaks down and produces positively charged positrons
What colour does the hot spots show up as on the scanner
Red and orange
What is one biological treatment for nicotine
Nicotine replacement therapy
What is the aim of nicotine replacement therapy
Bind to receptors at synapses to influence neurotransmission
How does nicotine replacement therapy work
- Inhaler / patch / gum
- Delivers a clean and controlled dose of nicotine without smoking
- Binds to acetylcholine receptors in mesolimbic pathway which stimulates dopamine release in NA
- Reduce over time stabilises addict
What are 2 strengths of nicotine replacement therapy
- Wide range of ways to take nicotine. Gum, patch, inhaler.
- Very accessible for ppl, doesn’t require therapists or professionals, empowering control treatment
What are 2 weaknesses of nicotine replacement therapy
- Side effects - headaches, dizziness and skin irritation due to patches
- Replacing the cigarette with nicotine meaning you’re still consuming the substance
What is one non biological treatment for nicotine
Aversion therapy
What is the aim of nicotine aversion therapy
To reduce cravings for desired substance
How does Nicotine aversion therapy work
Aversive stimuli (UCS) = rapid smoking = client takes puff of cigarette (NS) every 6 seconds in a closed room until they finish a set amount or feel sick (UCR)
Repeat process over several session
What are 2 strengths of nicotine aversion therapy
- Ethical - consent, made aware of aim
- Not replacing substance with another (NRT) learning new association= long term effect
What are 2 weaknesses of nicotine aversion therapy
- There is commitment, time, effort to attend sessions so pps need to be motivated and willing
- High drop out rates before the programme is finished meaning less effective
A01 of nicotine aversion therapy
Learning new associations
Short term therapy effective up to 1 year
Long term therapy effective up to over 1 year
Stops cravings up to 1-3 months
Not on NHS, private
