Psychological therapies Flashcards
What are the two psychological therapies used to treat schizophrenia?
Cognitive behaviour therapy
Family therapy
What is Cognitive behavioural therapy for psychosis?
Is used with schizophrenics whose symptoms have been partially stablished with drug therapies but who still experience some milder strength positive and negative symptoms such as paranoid delusions.
What are the three stages of cognitive behavioural therapy for psychosis?
Assessment and Engagement
ABC Model
Alternative explanations
What is the Assessment and Engagement stage of cognitive behavioural therapy for psychosis?
The patient expresses how they perceive their disorder, the therapist shows empathy and goals are set.
What is the ABC Model stage of cognitive behavioural therapy for psychosis?
Therapist and patient explore Activating Events which underlie emotional behaviour, consequences. Maladaptive cognitions are identified, challenged and corrected to make them more logical, rational and adaptive.
What is the alternative explanations stage of cognitive behavioural therapy for psychosis?
The therapist and patient develop healthier, adaptive ways of explaining the symptoms the patient experiences.
For example, they will be encouraged to recognise that their disorder can cause irrational ways of thinking, but these thoughts are not accurate interpretations of reality.
By finding alternative explanations of their cognitions they will be less likely to experience the maladaptive emotions and behaviours schizophrenics show.
This will improve general functioning in social situations and reduce distress.
What was a study conducted by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence study ‘14 that supports Cognitive behavioural therapy?
A national Institute for Health and Care Excellence study ‘14 found that when compared against a group receiving only anti-psychotic mediation, those receiving medication and CBTp showed lower rates of hospitalisation, lowered symptom severity and improvement in social functioning.
What was a study conducted by Morrison ‘14 that supports Cognitive behavioural therapy?
Morrison ‘14 randomly divided 74 schizophrenic patients who were not taking any mediation into 2 groups, 1 of whom received CBTp over 26 sessions for a 9-month period.
Although treatment was tailored to each individual the focus was on maladaptive cognitions and trying to alter these cognitions to improve cognitive and behavioural responses to situations.
After 9 months, positive outcomes were twice as high in the CBTp group and these positive outcomes were still present at an 18month follow up.
CBTp had improved the patient’s psychological, social and emotional functioning. Therefore, CBTp seems to be successful add-on or alternative to drug therapies and avoid drugs unpleasant side-effects.
What are the negatives to cognitive behavioural therapy for psychosis treatment?
During the initial stages of schizophrenia cognitive therapy is often not appropriate as the patient lacks insight into their condition. Therefore, it is important that CBTp is delivered at the right stage in the disorder.
Cuts to government funded mental health services mean that few schizophrenics are offered CBTp 7% in 2013. Furthermore, schizophrenics may refuse to or fail to attend scheduled CBTp sessions.
What suggests that family therapy can be affective?
Research into the role of expressed emotion in families affecting schizophrenics recovery and relapse rates indicates that families can do a lot to aid and support or at least not worsen a schizophrenics relatives symptoms.
What are the 3 stages to Family Therapy?
Psychoeducation
Social Support
Behavioural Family Therapy
What is the Psychoeducation stage to family therapy?
Family members are taught above the symptoms of schizophrenia and why their relative is behaving in the way that they are. This can lessen emotions such as anger, guilt and shame.
What is the Social Support stage of family therapy?
The therapist will encourage the family to seek social support from other relatives and government funded groups and try to create a home environment which is calm and stress-free as possible.
A supportive, understanding family will make it much easier for the schizophrenic to engage in therapy such as CBTp and stick to drug therapies.
What is Behavioural family therapy stage of family therapy?
Family members are trained in appropriate problem-solving skills and communication skills relevant to aiding the affected relative for example, anticipating what kind of situations might worsen a schizophrenic’s symptoms and how to avoid these situations occurring.
What evidence is there supporting family therapy as an effective treatment of schizophrenia?
Family therapy is regarded as economically beneficial as it is associated with decreased relapse rates and expensive re-hospitalisation of schizophrenics and thus saves the government expenditure.
Living with a schizophrenic can have negative effects on family member’s mental health. Family therapy can have a positive impact on family member’s mental health by introducing coping strategies and problem solving skills. Thus, family members become better carers which again can decrease government expenditure.
