Psychological Therapies Flashcards
What is the aim of ERP?
To stop people carrying out compulsive behaviours and give them future coping mechanisms
Who first developed ERP?
Myer
What is the process of ERP?
The client is repeatedly exposed to objects or situations that cause anxiety and encouraged the avoid normal safety rituals. Relaxation techniques are taught to help them deal with current and future situations
What are some of the different techniques used by the therapist?
Verbal persuasion
Continuos monitoring
Encouragement of alternative behaviour
Homework tasks
What do therapists not do?
They are not forceful or condescending as this is unhelpful
Why do family members sometimes go to ERP sessions?
Because they might unwittingly collude the clashes rituals. By them attending they can learn mechanisms to prevent them from enforcing the behaviour
Evaluation…
Success rate
Hollan found 55%-85% of clients significantly improve and the effects appear to be long lasting
How found 55-85% of club what’s significant improve?
Hollan et al
What did Hollan et al discover?
55-85% of patients significantly improve and this appears to be long lasting
Who is ERP not very successful for?
People with obsessional thoughts without accompanying rituals
How many people show no improvement?
25%
Who found ERP is not effective for 25% of people?
Foe et al
What were Foe et als findings?
25% of clients show no improvement
Evaluation…
Effects of ERP of the brain
Saxena et al found after 4 weeks of intensive ERP the clients showed significant improvements as PET scans revealed there was improved brain functioning as there was a decrease in thalamus activity
What did Saxena et al find?
Saxena et al found after 4 weeks of intensive ERP the clients showed significant improvements as PET scans revealed there was improved brain functioning as there was a decrease in thalamus activity
Evaluation…
Speed of therapy
It works within 3-8 weeks
However, patients with compulsions find it very difficult so often drop out
What are the advantages of group therapy?
It is more readily available
Reduces the stress on the nhs
It creates a support system for clients
It can help reduce feelings of isolation that accompany OCD
What is group therapy?
Psychological therapies such as ERP to be administered in a group format
What study is related to group therapy?
Marcelo et al
What did Marcelo et al find?
That 44% of those in the group therapy group had reduced symptoms compared to 28% in the drug therapy group
8 in group therapy had complete remission of OCD symptoms compared to 1 in drug therapy
What can be concluded from Marcelo et als findings?
Group therapy is more effective than drug therapy
How can Marcelo et als results be criticised?
It only looks at mono-symptomatic patients, so the results may not represent more complex patients. Most OCD patients have depression as well and 1-1 would not be suitable for such clients. It also doesn’t give an indication of the results are long lasting because they were tested immediately after 12 weeks.
What was Marcelo et als procedure?
For 12 weeks two groups of patients took either antidepressants or went to group therapy
What does ERP stand for?
Exposure and response therapy
