Lecture 89: Pyschotherapy

Question 1

About how effective is psychotherapy? Most important contributing factor to success?

Answer 1

~75%; relationship b/t patient and therapist

Question 2

What is psychotherapy?

Answer 2

Medical treatment directed to changing behavior and emotional responses through verbal means

Question 3

Criteria for a system of psychotherapy

Answer 3

A comprehensive theory; Empirical support;

operationalized or technique-driven therapy based on theoretical principles; Empirical evidence for effectiveness

Question 4

Use of psychotherapy?

Answer 4

Psychiatric symptoms; specific problems (relationship); general problems (self-esteem); augmenting treatment in non-psychiatric conditions

Question 5

Psychoanalytic/psychodynamic (description, 2 main points). Short or long-term?

Answer 5

Self-reflection/exploration taking place in the context of the patient-therapist relationship; exploration of the past and it’s effect on the present; long-term

Question 6

Psychoanalytic/psychodynamic is based on…

Answer 6

Frued’s theory of the mind (unconscious determining our behaviors, thoughts, feelings)

Question 7

Psychoanalytic/psychodynamic techniques (6)

Answer 7

Education about process; therapeutic alliance; transference; defense interpretation; free association; dreams

Question 8

Psychoanalytic/psychodynamic patients (5)

Answer 8

Specific issues/concerns, inquisitive about mind, ability to tolerate negative emotions, ability to delineate transference reactions from reality, complex mental disorders affecting functioning

Question 9

Psychoanalytic/psychodynamic goals (3)

Answer 9

Increase insight, enhance meaning, minimize vulnerability for recurrence of symptoms

Question 10

How is psychodynamic therapy different? (what is focused on: 5 items + 1 more item)

Answer 10

Focus on emotions, how we avoid distress, the past, relationships, fantasy; identification of recurring themes

Question 11

Behavioral and cognitive therapy talks about the links between what three things. Based on what theories?

Answer 11

Thought, emotion, behaviors; learning theory

Question 12

Goal of behavioral and cognitive therapy. Structured or unstructured? Short or long-term?

Answer 12

To unlearn maladaptive and learn adaptive thinking/behavioral patterns; structured; short-term

Question 13

In behavioral and cognitive therapy, the therapist assumes the roles of the…How else does this paradigm manifest?

Answer 13

Teacher; assigns homework

Question 14

Types of behavioral and cognitive therapy (4)

Answer 14

CBT, dialectical behavioral therapy, other behavioral therapies: exposure therapy, token economies

Question 15

Behavioral therapy has what active ingredient? Targets?

Answer 15

Specific exposures; specific conditioned response

Question 16

Two methods of exposure therapy

Answer 16

Systematic desensitization vs flooding

Question 17

Aversive conditioning (describe and example)

Answer 17

Patient exposed to unpleasant stimulus while engaging in targeted behavior; nail biting

Question 18

What is a treatment for OCD? When does a patient have to use this treatment?

Answer 18

Exposure therapy with response-prevention; must be practiced AT HOME and during session

Question 19

What is the goal of token economy? How does it do this?

Answer 19

Increase target behaviors; Reinforcing the good (not punishing the bad)

Question 20

What would biofeedback work for?

Answer 20

Works physical/psychosomatic disorders by measuring physiological parameter measured in real-time

Question 21

Describe CBT

Answer 21

Directed primarily at identifying and modifying distorted or maladaptive cognitions and associated emotional reactions and behavioral dysfunction

Question 22

What is the best-studied behavioral and cognitive therapy?

Answer 22

CBT!

Question 23

Basis for CBT: 2 levels of dysfunctional cognitions

Answer 23

1. Automatic thoughts; 2. Cognitive schemas

Question 24

Examples of maladaptive automatic thoughts (3)

Answer 24

All-or-none thinking, personalizing things, catastrophic thinking

Question 25

Cognitive schemas can be…(2, examples of each)

Answer 25

Adaptive (no matter what happens, I can manage it); maladaptive (I must be perfect to be accepted)

Question 26

CBT works particularly well for…

Answer 26

Depression (lots of negative bias) and anxiety

Question 27

What’s an example for identifying/modifying thoughts/schemas

Answer 27

Thought recording, then attempts at reframing the thoughts, finally thought change recording plus

Question 28

Describe DBT

Answer 28

Combines standard CBT techniques for emotion regulation and reality-testing with concepts of distress tolerance, acceptance, and mindfulness derived from Buddhist meditative practice

Question 29

Four core skills of DBT

Answer 29

Mindfulness, distress tolerance, emotion regulation, interpersonal effectiveness

Question 30

T/F: Group therapies are only found in CBT

Answer 30

False! Any therapy can be conducted in a group, including psychodynamic therapies

Question 31

If a therapist was offering lots of praise/advice, this might be what kind of therapy?

Answer 31

Supportive psychotherapy

Question 32

What brain region might be targeted by CBT in anxiety disorders?

Answer 32

Reduced activity in limbic and paralimbic regions