Psychological treatments

Question 1

What is the main psychological treatment of schizophrenia?

Answer 1

Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT)

Question 2

What are the aims of CBT?

Answer 2

To change the maladaptive thinking and distorted perceptions seen as underpinning the disorder in order to modify hallucinations and delusional beliefs

Question 3

What is a delusion?

Answer 3

An inaccurate belief held by an individual, regardless of logical evidence disproving the belief and is not easily changed by simple reasoning

Question 4

Name some types of delusions

Answer 4

Bizarre, non-bizarre and mood-congruent

Question 5

Give some examples of delusions

Answer 5

Control, cotard, capgras and erotomania

Question 6

How often is CBT undertaken by the sufferer?

Answer 6

Every ten days for roughly twelve sessions

Question 7

What is particularly beneficial about CBT?

Answer 7

Understanding where symptoms originate can be useful in reducing sufferers’ anxiety levels

Question 8

What are the two types of CBT?

Answer 8

Personal therapy and rational emotive therapy

Question 9

What does personal therapy involve?

Answer 9

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

Question 10

Explain rational emotive therapy

Answer 10

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

Question 11

What did Tarrier et al. find?

Answer 11

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

Question 12

What does Rathod suggest?

Answer 12

Lots of training is needed for CBT to be effective, as empathy, respect, honesty and unconditional positive regard are essential for treatment

Question 13

What is the main aim of family therapy?

Answer 13

To improve communication practices within the family and train people to express emotion in a more beneficial way

Question 14

What is family therapy a type of?

Answer 14

Psychotherapy

Question 15

What are family members encouraged to do in family therapy?

Answer 15

Talk openly about the patient’s symptoms, behaviour and progress with their treatment and how their illness affects them

Question 16

What are family members taught in family therapy?

Answer 16

To support others and be caregivers, with each person being given a specific role in the rehabilitation of the patient

Question 17

How long is family therapy usually administered for?

Answer 17

Between nine months and a year

Question 18

How is family therapy superior to drug treatments?

Answer 18

The benefits of family therapy continue long after the therapy but drug treatments end with the treatment

Question 19

What did Leff et al. find?

Answer 19

Only 8% of schizophrenics relapsed in the first nine months of treatment, rising to 50% after two years, significantly better than routine outpatient care

Question 20

What does the Schizophrenic Commission estimate?

Answer 20

That family therapy is cheaper than standard care by £1,004 per patient over three years, suggesting it is cost-effective

Question 21

What behavioural technique can be used? What are the positives and negatives of it?

Answer 21

Token economies; They are cost effective but they don’t treat schizophrenia they manage them, and are unethical

Question 22

What happened in one token economy in America that is unethical?

Answer 22

They needed to earn 100 tokens to see a social worker