Psychological Disorders and Interventions

Question 1

What is exposure therapy and learning theories is it influenced by?

Answer 1

• Treat phobias through exposure to the feared CS (e.g. car) in the absence of the UCS (e.g. accident)
• Response prevention is used to keep the operant avoidant response from occurring
• Highly effective for reducing anxiety responses
• Controversial because intense temporary anxiety is created by treatment
• Basis in Learning Theory: influenced by both classic and operant conditioning approaches

Question 2

What is cognitive therapy and What are its key components?

Answer 2

• Focuses on problematic beliefs and behaviours that maintain disorders
• Goal-oriented (i.e. specific and measurable)
• Collaborative relationship between therapist and patient
• Brief (8-16 sessions)
• ‘Scientific’ approach (e.g. collecting data, testing hypotheses)
• Key Components: thoughts, emotions and behaviour

Question 3

Which diseases are Psychological Therapies Recommended for in NICE Guidelines (8)

Answer 3

• Depression
• Social anxiety
• PTSD
• Generalised anxiety disorder
• OCD
• Bulimia
• Panic disorder and specific phobia
• Schizophrenia

Question 4

Depression is characterised by what?

Answer 4

a period of almost daily depressed mood or diminished interest in activities lasting at least two weeks

Question 5

Secondary symptoms of depression?

Answer 5

difficulty concentrating, feelings of worthlessness
excessive or inappropriate guilt, hopelessness, recurrent thoughts of death or suicide,
changes in appetite or sleep,
psychomotor agitation or retardation,
reduced energy or fatigue.

Question 6

Treatments for depression?

Answer 6

CBT recommended as first line treatment for:
Mild to moderate depression

Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy:
for people who are currently well but have experienced three or more previous episodes of depression.

Do not use antidepressants routinely to treat persistent subthreshold depressive symptoms or mild depression because the risk–benefit ratio is poor

Consider antidepressants for people with:
a past history of moderate or severe depression or
subthreshold depressive symptoms present for a long time or
subthreshold depressive symptoms or mild depression that persist(s) after other interventions.