Module 8 Lesson 3 - Therapy and Psychotherapy

Question 1

What did people in the past think of psychological disorders?

Answer 1

People in the past believed those psychological disorders were responsible for getting the disorders, as a result of evil spirits or poor choices.

Individuals would be locked up, experimented on, and/or given harsh treatment and such a trephination or lobotomies.

Question 2

What was the medical model eventually developed on psychological disorders?

Answer 2

They were the result of physical causes, allowing disorders to be diagnosed and treated.

Question 3

What is the biopsychosocial approach?

Answer 3

It encompasses biological aspects of mental illness as well as psychological effects and socio-cultural factors.

Biological, social, and psychological factors in treating psychological disorders

Question 4

What are the current therapies currently in use by psychologists and psychiatrists?

Answer 4

Social Cognitive:
Beck’s Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy
Ellis Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy (rEBT)

Psychoanalytic
Free Association
Projective Tests

Humanistic
Focus on self-perceptions over others
Therapist offers Unconditional Positive Regard

Behavioral
Classical Conditioning - Systematic Desensitization
Exposure Therapy
Classical Conditioning - Aversive Conditioning
Operant Conditioning - Token Economy
Observational Learning - Modeling

Question 5

Social-Cognitive Therapy

Answer 5

Assumptions: The way we interpret events affects how we feel about them.

Beck’s Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy
Ellis Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy (rEBT)

Goal: Help the client change the way he interprets events

Question 6

Beck’s Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy

Answer 6

The therapist asks questions that lead the patient into realizing his thoughts are wrong, involving pessimistic thoughts, unrealistic expectations, and too critical self-evaluations.

Usually requires “homework”

Patients will be asked to keep a journal of events and feelings or asked to face a difficult setting that has been avoided, and/or given relaxation techniques to try.

Question 7

Ellis Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy (rEBT)

Answer 7

Anxiety and depression come from irrational thoughts and beliefs.

For ex. “I have to get an A”, “I have no friends because I’m not likeable.”

Therapists actively challenge these thoughts and beliefs in order to change one’s thinking.

Question 8

Psychoanalytic Therapy

Answer 8

Assumption: Psychological problems are fueled by repressed impulses and childhood trauma.

Goal: To become aware of repressed feelings in order to deal with them.

Question 9

Methods of Psychoanalytic Therapy

Answer 9

Techniques such as free-association and projective tests.

Psychologists attempt to interpret patient comments in order to help the patient understand underlying wishes, feelings, conflicts.

Patients may use resistance (avoid the topics) and/or transference (placing unconscious feelings towards one person onto another).

Question 10

Humanistic Therapy

Answer 10

Assumptions: Patient is in control and possesses the resources to grow and achieve self-fulfillment. Patients may lack Unconditional Positive Regard, acceptance, or empathy.

Goal: The therapist practices client-centered therapy and works to help his client draw his/her own conclusions about his/her life (difficulties and celebrations).

Question 11

Methods of Humanistic Therapy

Answer 11

Focus on self-perceptions over others

Listen without judging

Therapists engages in active listening

Therapist offers Unconditional Positive Regard

Question 12

Behavioral Therapies

Answer 12

Assumptions: Working on how one thinks and feels doesn’t always help, especially when the behavior is the problem, such as phobias.

Classical Conditioning - Systematic Desensitization
Exposure Therapy
Classical Conditioning - Aversive Conditioning
Operant Conditioning - Token Economy
Observational Learning - Modeling

Goal: Focus on the behavior by applying learning principles to get rid of unwanted behaviors.

Question 13

Systematic Desensitization

Answer 13

Classical Conditioning: The therapist works with the patient to create a list of conditions that cause the maladaptive behaviors.

Therapist gradually exposes the patient to the conditions while the patient practices relaxation techniques.

Includes Exposure Therapy
Counterconditioning

Question 14

Exposure Therapy

Answer 14

The patient overcomes fear with gradual exposure to conditions.

Part of Systematic Desensitization

Question 15

Counterconditioning

Answer 15

The Conditioned Stimulus is paired with a different Conditioned Response.

Part of Systematic Desensitization

Question 16

Aversive Conditioning

Answer 16

Classical Conditioning: The therapist replaces a positive response with a harmful stimulus to create a negative response

Ex. Bitter nail polish to keep you from biting your nails.

Behavioral Therapy

Question 17

Token Economy

Answer 17

Operant Conditioning: Therapist uses rewards to encourage the desired behaviors. Tries to encourage intrinsic motivation.

Behavioral Therapy

Question 18

Modeling

Answer 18

Observational Learning - Patient watches others engage in the activities that causes anxiety for the patient

Behavioral Therapy

Question 19

Unconditional Positive Regard (UPR)

Answer 19

A component of Humanistic Therapy; the term was coined by Carl Rogers.

Rogers believes that the heart of self-fulfillment was UPR.
Individuals need a sense of acceptance and support regardless of their actions
One should never have to do things they don’t feel comfortable with just to feel accepted.

Ex. A parent might not agree with what their child says or does, but will not abandon the child or stop loving him. Instead, they will work together to achieve the correct behavior