Psychological Interventions Flashcards
What are psychological interventions and what do they influence?
Influence the way we think and behave, eg used in advertising
change in beliefs, behaviours, mood
Health behaviours - positive and negative
What is the cognitive model?
What are assumptions of the cognitive model?
We interact with the world through interpretations and evaluations that we make about our environment.
It is not the situation itself, but the thoughts + beliefs we attach to the event that produce our emotional & behavioural responses.
The results of cognitive processes are accessible via thoughts and images, and therefore have the potential to change.
According to Beck, what are the three levels of thinking?
specifically automatic thoughts?
Automatic thoughts are fleeting thoughts that pop into your mind unbidden.
They can be positive or negative.
Situation specific
Involuntary
According to Beck, what are the three levels of thinking, specifically intermediate beliefs?
creates rules and assumptions that set standards which guide our behaviour
can be Healthy vs unhealthy.
Often unarticulated - Assumptions can often be identified by their ‘if …..then’ construction. Rules are must and should statements.
According to Beck, what are the three levels of thinking, specifically core beliefs?
Core beliefs (Cognitive schemata) give rise to our rules, assumptions, and thoughts
Develop in early life and childhood
Centre of our beliefs
Global, absolute, rigid
Focus on self, others, world
Can be positive and/or negative
eg if carers dont care for me as a child/ abusive - will grow up to believe believe everyone is untrustworthy/ dangerous “ i cant trust anyone”
Negative core beliefs are usually…
Cognitive Biases are habitual ways of thinking. Give and explain some of these
Arbitrary Inference – Drawing conclusions on the basis of insufficient irrelevant evidence
Catastrophising – assume worst possible case scenario
Negative predictions - expecting not to enjoy something
Selective abstraction - Focusing on a detail taken out of context and ignoring other important features
Magnification and minimisation - Magnify weaknesses and minimise strengths.
Personalisation - Relating an event to oneself when there is no basis for it
Fait accompli” thinking “I didn’t mean to eat that pie. There goes my diet, may as well finish the whole pie!”
What are the aims of cognitive interventions?
What is the decisional balance sheet?
What is motivational interviewing?
Another cognitive intervention
Goal – to guide individuals to explore their own conflicting beliefs towards behaviour – Helps to reduce ambivalence.
Effective in reducing smoking, addiction, improving adherence to lifestyle changes
Motivational interviewing entails cognitive dissonance. What is this and what are further key characteristics of motivational interviewing?
Cognitive dissonance – holding opposing beliefs = psychological discomfort
Key characteristics:
Non-confrontational
Roll with resistance
Increase motivation
Supports patient autonomy
Another cognitive intervention is distraction techniques. What is this?
Deliberately moving attention away from the distress cause.
Reduces moderate to acute pain/distress
Short term – lasts as long as the person remains distracted
Distraction activities inc games/colouring, doing a puzzle, talking to a HCP, gym etc
Eg cartoon found to cause less pre op anxiety in children
Another psychological interventiion is behavioural. What are the aims and assumptions of this?
Assumptions: Maladaptive behaviour is learned
Focusing on a specific behaviour will treat specific symptoms
Aims: Substitute maladaptive behaviours for adaptive ones. Relieve symptoms
One of the behavioural interventions is modelling. What is this? + how used in medical training?
Modelling – Learning a behaviour by observing and imitating others
Most effective when the model is perceived to be of ‘higher status’ or peer, or when behaviour results in reward
Useful for surgery anxiety, phobias, learning new skills –increase confidence, adherence
Another behavioural intervention is reward and reinforcement, specifically operant conditioning. What is this?
What is selective reinforcement?
Positive reinforcement: If a behaviour is followed by reward this increases repetition of that behaviour.
If not rewarded or given unpleasant outcome, the behaviour will occur less
Negative reinforcement: If a behaviour results in a removal of unpleasant stimulus, the behaviour will be repeated.
Punishment: unpleasant behaviour= unpleasant consequence follows a behaviour to reduce the future frequency of that behaviour
What are the benefits of biofeedback?
Monitor the physiological stress response, eg HR, RR, BP, temp
Patient learns relaxation techniques to reduce the physiological readings.
Positive reinforcement -patient can feel/ see immediate response.
Increases confidence and self efficacy
Socratic questioning?
