Psychological Treatments

Question 1

Describe how CBT works for those with SZ

Answer 1

~ therapists challenge hallucinations and delusions, try to help patient develop strategies to target specific symptoms
(e.g. cognitive/social skill training helps learn simultaneous attention tasks where one is ignored i.e. the hallucination)
~ patients come to learn their beliefs/hallucinations are not based in reality and their cognitive deficits improve

Question 2

Who is CBT therapy useful for?

Answer 2

SZ patients suffering from hallucinations or delusions

Question 3

How does family therapy treat SZ?

Answer 3

~ aims to improve communication and interaction between family members to reduce patient anxiety
~ strategies such as improving family’s ability to anticipate and solve problems —> reduces anger, guilt and blame, balance of taking care of both SZ patient and caters wellbeing to minimise self sacrifice
~ reduces chance of relapse by reducing expressed emotions and increasing medication compliance

Question 4

Who is family therapy useful for?

Answer 4

Families and SZ patients with high expressed emotions

Question 5

How do token economy systems treat SZ?

Answer 5

~ uses in psychiatric hospitals
~ tokens are given to desirable behaviours to prevent delay discounting (reduces effectiveness of reinforcement) —> later can be swapped for tangible rewards (TV time, walk outside, etc.)
~ tokens are secondary reinforcers, swapped for primary reinforcers (operant conditioning)

Question 6

Who are token economy systems useful for?

Answer 6

SZ patients displaying maladaptive behaviours (bad hygiene/self care) in institutions

Question 7

Give a strength for psychological treatments of SZ

Answer 7

• helps patients to make sense of hallucinations and delusions , manage symptoms
• token economies reduce maladaptive behaviours

Question 8

Evaluate idea of a cure as a weakness for psychological treatments of SZ

Answer 8

Cure
- do not actually reduce symptoms but only help to manage them
- may not actually be effective —> interactionist approach may be better

Question 9

Evaluate ethics of psychological treatments of SZ

Answer 9

Ethical issues
- CBT —> challenging a persons paranoia/thinking may be seen as interfering with freedom of thought
- Token economy system —> not beneficial for those with more severe symptoms, discriminates against them; people also may become reliant on rewards
- means SZ patients and families are less likely to trust and seek treatments

Question 10

Evaluate accessibility of psychological treatments of SZ

Answer 10

Accessibility issues
- Less accessible for those w more severe symptoms or with difficulty in communicating
- alternatives such as art, music or dance therapy may be better
- eclectic approach - specialises therapy for unique goals and needs of patient

Question 11

Evaluate methodology of psychological treatments of SZ

Answer 11

Methodological flaws
- Lack of control group in research supporting effectiveness —> changes may be due to individual differences rather than effectiveness of treatment
- Lack of random allocation —> ppl with milder symptoms may be placed in treatment group so less likely to show improvement