Psychological treatments Flashcards
(22 cards)
What is the main psychological treatment of schizophrenia?
Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT)
What are the aims of CBT?
To change the maladaptive thinking and distorted perceptions seen as underpinning the disorder in order to modify hallucinations and delusional beliefs
What is a delusion?
An inaccurate belief held by an individual, regardless of logical evidence disproving the belief and is not easily changed by simple reasoning
Name some types of delusions
Bizarre, non-bizarre and mood-congruent
Give some examples of delusions
Control, cotard, capgras and erotomania
How often is CBT undertaken by the sufferer?
Every ten days for roughly twelve sessions
What is particularly beneficial about CBT?
Understanding where symptoms originate can be useful in reducing sufferers’ anxiety levels
What are the two types of CBT?
Personal therapy and rational emotive therapy
What does personal therapy involve?
Detailed evaluation of problems and experiences, their triggers and consequences and strategies being used to cope. Cognitive techniques are developed between the patient and the therapist, such as:
- Distractions from intrusive thoughts
- Challenging the meanings of intrusive thoughts
- Increasing/decreasing social activity to distract from low moods
- Using relaxation strategies
Explain rational emotive therapy
This teaches sufferers that emotional instability is a common feature of schizophrenia that they must live with, and patients are taught muscle relaxation techniques to detect gradual anger build-ups and then apply relaxation skills to control emotions
What did Tarrier et al. find?
Those receiving CBT did better than those being treated with drug therapy or supportive counselling alone, and one-third of the patients had experienced a 50% reduction in symptoms, with 15% having a complete reduction, compared to the drug group who all still experienced symptoms
What does Rathod suggest?
Lots of training is needed for CBT to be effective, as empathy, respect, honesty and unconditional positive regard are essential for treatment
What is the main aim of family therapy?
To improve communication practices within the family and train people to express emotion in a more beneficial way
What is family therapy a type of?
Psychotherapy
What are family members encouraged to do in family therapy?
Talk openly about the patient’s symptoms, behaviour and progress with their treatment and how their illness affects them
What are family members taught in family therapy?
To support others and be caregivers, with each person being given a specific role in the rehabilitation of the patient
How long is family therapy usually administered for?
Between nine months and a year
How is family therapy superior to drug treatments?
The benefits of family therapy continue long after the therapy but drug treatments end with the treatment
What did Leff et al. find?
Only 8% of schizophrenics relapsed in the first nine months of treatment, rising to 50% after two years, significantly better than routine outpatient care
What does the Schizophrenic Commission estimate?
That family therapy is cheaper than standard care by £1,004 per patient over three years, suggesting it is cost-effective
What behavioural technique can be used? What are the positives and negatives of it?
Token economies; They are cost effective but they don’t treat schizophrenia they manage them, and are unethical
What happened in one token economy in America that is unethical?
They needed to earn 100 tokens to see a social worker
