Psychopathology Flashcards
Evaluation of failure to function adequately
+ Measured objectively = no subjective interpretations
+ P.A. used to help diagnose
- Some patients can still function but are suffering
Evaluation of deviation from social norms
+ Easy to identify
- Depends on context, subjectivity and history
- Culture relativism
Evaluation of deviation from ideal mental health
+ Easy to identify which aspects are missing
- Meeting all 6 is demanding
- Culturally relative
Evaluation of statistical infrequency
+ Measured objectively = not subjectively interpreted
- The cut off point of abnormality is subjective
- Ethical issues = labelling
Evaluation of systematic desensitisation
+ Research support: Gilroy et al
- Problem with Research support:
only one phobia
+ Less traumatic
Than flooding
- Individual difference
What did Gilroy find?
showed a group of 42 participants, treated with SD in 45 min sessions for spider phobias, showed significantly less fear than a control group treated with just relaxation techniques
Evaluation of flooding
+ R.S. Ougrin:
found flooding is highly effective and quicker than alternatives
+ Cost effective and quick
- Treatment can be traumatic
- Only works on certain phobias = social
What did Ougrin (2011) find?
found flooding is highly effective and quicker than alternatives
Evaluation of cognitive approach
+ P.A - CBT
+ R.S: Grazioli and Terry
+ R.S: Clark and Beck
- Alternative explanations: Seligman
- Doesnt explaing all aspects: Anger and hullucations
What did Grazioli and Terry find?
Found women who have been high in cognitive vulnerability were more likely to suffer post natal depression
What did Clark and beck find?
Research suggested cognitive vulnerability factors can be seen before depression
What did Seligman find?
biological explanations: Serotonin lead to depression
Evaluation of CBT
+ R.S: March
+ Cheap and easy
+ No side effects compared to drugs
- Overemphasis cognitive: ignores circumstances
- Individual difference: extreme depression
What did March procedure?
compared the effects of CBT with antidepressant drugs and a combination of the two in 327 adolecents with a main dignosis of depression.
What did March find?
After 36 weeks 81% of the CBT group , 81% of the antidepressants group and 86% of the CBT plus antidepressants group were significantly improved. Thus CBT emerged as just as effective as midication and more helpful alongside medication
How does CBT ignore circumstance?
A patient living in poverty or suffering abuse needs to change their circumstances, and any approach to therapy that emphasises what is happening in the patients mind rather than their environment can prevent this.
Evaluation of OCD
+ R.S: Nesta dt
+ P.A: Drugs
- Direction of cause & effect: OCD = low serotonin
- Hard to separate nature & nurture
- Deterministic
What did Nestadt find?
twin studies:
Found 68% of identical twins shared OCD compared to 31% of non identical twins
Determinist OCD
disregards environmental factors. Environmental factors, it seems, can also trigger or increase the risk of developing OCD
Disadvantage of twin studies
disregards the fact that non identical twins could share a more similar environmental situation than an identical twin set meaning that they are more different.
Evaluation of Biological treatments
+ R.S: Soomro et al
+ Cost effective & non disruptive: good value for health system and are non disruptive compared to therapist
- side effects
- treats symptoms not the cause
- Research bias: drug companies
What did Soomro et al find?
reviewed studies comparing SSRI’s to placebos in the treatment of OCD and concluded that all 17 studies showed significally better results for the SSRI’s than the placebo conditions
Side effects of SSRIs
indisgestion, blurred vision and loss of sex drive side-effects are more common and can be more serious. More than one in ten patients suffer erectial problems, tremors and weight gain.
