Psychology Module 3 Flashcards
What are the main symptoms of depression?
- Lowering of mood
- Tiredness unrelieved by rest
- Lack of motivation
What are the requirements for a mild, moderate or severe diagnosis?
- Mild: 4 symptoms
- Moderate: 5-6 symptoms
- Severe: 7+ symptoms and general feelings of worthlessness
What are effects of depression on an individual?
Negative impact on life - increased risk of suicide
What are effects of depression on society?
- Time missed from work, company must cover workload
- Cost of treatment. Antidepressants expensive, not enough therapists.
What is the Diathesis-stress model?
Some people are genetically predisposed to develop depression, but only develop it if exposed to a stress that activates the gene
How many gene variations did Craig Hyde et al. (2016) link to depression?
Seventeen
What are the strengths of the genetic explanation of depression?
- Lessens stigma: cannot blame people for being depressed
- Evidence: Caspi et al. (2003), short 5-HTT gene
What are the weaknesses of the genetic explanation of depression?
- Deterministic: assumes people have no control over becoming depressed
- Reductionist: doesn’t take life events into account
What is Beck’s cognitive triad?
A negative self-schema that may lead to magnification:
Negative view of world –>
Negative view of self –>
Negative view of future –> (repeat)
What is Ellis’ ABC model?
Three stages that lead to a negative bias:
1. Activating event (stress)
2. Beliefs (rational or irrational)
3. Consequences (Rational belief –> no depression. Irrational belief –> depression.)
What are the strengths of the cognitive explanation of depression?
- Acknowledges life events
- Applied to treatment (CBT)
What are the weaknesses of the cognitive explanation of depression?
- Can’t tell if negative irrational thoughts are a symptom or cause of depression
- Post-natal depression much more likely to be caused by hormones
What are the aims of CBT for depression?
Change the way patients think –> change the way they feel –> change the way they behave
What is the process of CBT for depression?
- Discuss symptoms, thoughts, feelings and behaviours
- ‘Homework’: challenge irrational thoughts, write down feelings
What are the strengths of CBT as a treatment of depression?
- Evidence: Beltman et al. (2010) CBT patients improved more than non-CBT
- Longer lasting treatment: gives patients skills (drugs are temporary)
- Gives patients self-determination
What are the weaknesses of CBT as a treatment of depression?
- Relies on patients recognising symptoms/wanting to change (lack of motivation a symptom)
- Ethical issue: Therapist may abuse power (patient told their way of thinking is ‘wrong’, what therapist sees as ‘wrong’ subjective)
What are the four types of antidepressants?
- SSRI
- SNRI
- MAOI
- TCA
What are the strengths of antidepressants as a treatment of depression?
- Improves symptoms, allows patients to access CBT
- Evidence: Royal College of Psychiatrists, drugs better than placebo
What are the weaknesses of antidepressants as a treatment of depression?
- Side effects: diabetes, insomnia, suicidal feelings (may hurt more than help)
- Improves symptoms but doesn’t tackle cause, relapse expected
What are the main symptoms of addiction?
- Feeling of needing to take the substance
- Stopping very difficult
- Physical withdrawal symptoms (sweating, shaking vomiting)
- Tolerance to substance
What are the effects of addiction on an individual?
- Neglect people/previously enjoyable activities
- Spend money on addiction
- Substance may be harmful
What are the effects of addiction on society?
- Time away from work, labour must be covered
- Cost of treatment
- Criminal behaviour to fund addiction
What evidence is there for the genetic explanation of addiction?
- Twin studies (Carmelli et al. (1992))
- Adoption studies (Goodwin et al. (1973))
- DDR2 gene (dopamine receptor) linked to addiction
What are the strengths of the genetic explanation of addiction?
- Evidence: twin and adoption studies
- Explains why some people are more prone to addiction than others
What are the weaknesses of the genetic explanation of addiction?
- Reductionist: doesn’t take social factors into account)
- No single gene found (DDR2 also linked to autism)
What are the three theories for the learning explanation of addiction?
- Classical conditioning
- Operant conditioning
- Social learning theory
What is classical conditioning?
Learning through association (links substance with positive feelings)
What is operant conditioning?
Reinforcement of behaviours leading to positive outcomes (behaviour –> positive outcome –> behaviour repeated)
What is social learning theory?
Behaviour learned from role models, more inclined to substances you’ve been exposed to
What are the strengths of the learning explanation of addiction?
- Treating addiction: assumes a behaviour can be unlearned
- Explains why people relapse
What are the weaknesses of the learning explanation of addiction?
- Ignores biological factors
- Doesn’t explain why some are more prone to addiction than others
What are the two stages of CBT for addiction?
- Functional analysis (understand sources/triggers)
- Skills training (how to cope with cravings, assertiveness training, improving motivation)
What are the strengths of CBT as a treatment of addiction?
- Builds up skills, patients has control
- Evidence: Young (2007) study
What are the weaknesses of CBT as a treatment of addiction?
- Relies on patient being motivated (symptoms of finding stopping hard and ignoring evidence)
- Skills gained don’t guarantee those skills will be used/behaviour will stop
What are the uses of drug therapy as a treatment for addiction?
- Reduces withdrawal symptoms
- Reduces cravings
- Can help severe behavioural addictions
What are the strengths of drug therapy as a treatment of addiction?
- Evidence: Suck Won Kim et al. (2001), gambling addictions helped more with drug than placebo
- Helps patients access CBT
What are the weaknesses of drug therapy as a treatment of addiction?
- Mixed evidence: Krysatl et al. (2001), drug and placebo relapse rate no difference after 6 months for alcoholics
- Patients may become addicted to withdrawal/craving drugs
What were the results of the Caspi et al. (2003) study?
- Patients more likely to become depressed after stressful life event if they have at least one copy of the short 5-HTT gene
- Depression caused by interaction between nature and nurture
What were the strengths of the Caspi et al. (2003) study?
- Large sample size
- Useful for doctors (different possible causes)What were the results of the Caspi et al. (2003) study?
What were the weaknesses of the Caspi et al. (2003) study?
- Short gene may make people more prone to stressful situations instead
- Questionnaire self- report data, may be inaccurate
What were the results of the Young (2007) study?
Online CBT an effective treatment for internet addicts. Symptoms improved after 12 weeks, still better than before therapy after 6 months.
What were the strengths of the Young (2007) study?
- Shows online CBT can be effective
- Information gathering consistent and standardised
What were the weaknesses of the Young (2007) study?
- Self-report data, may be unreliable
- Different types on internet addictions not distinguished from each other
What is the nature side of the nature vs nurture debate?
Behaviour is influenced by biological factors (genes)
What is the nurture side of the nature vs nurture debate?
Behaviour is influenced by environmental factors (experiences, role models)
What are the strengths of the nature side of the nature vs nurture debate?
- Caspi et al. (2003), depression linked to short 5-HTT gene
- Explains why some develop depression/addiction and other don’t
What are the strengths of the nurture side of the nature vs nurture debate?
- Suggests that since problems are learned, they can also be unlearned (basis for treatment)
- CBT works for both depression and addiction, suggesting they’re caused by nurture and not nature
What suggests depression/addiction are caused by both nature and nurture?
- Caspi et al. (2001), combination of stressful life event and short 5-HTT gene
- Gene makes people prone, experience triggers symptoms
