Psychopathology Flashcards
Characteristics of depression
Cognitive
Attending to and dwelling on the negative
Absolutist thinking
Poor concentration
Characteristics of depression
Behavioural
Disruption to sleep and eating behaviour
Shift in activity levels
Aggression and self harm
Characteristics of depression
Emotional
Lowered mood
Lowered self esteem
Anger
Cognitive explanation for depression
Beck
- faulty information processing (attend to negative aspects)
- negative self schemes (interpret all information about ourselves in a negative way)
- negative triad (negative view of world, future, self which lead to depression)
Cognitive explanation for depression
Ellis
- irrational thoughts - interfere with us being happy and free of pain
- a triggers b which produces a consequence
- activating event
- Beliefs
- consequences
Cognitive treatment for depression
(cbt)
Beck
Identify thoughts about negative triad
Thoughts must be challenged
Set cognitive therapy aims to test reality of negative beliefs
Therapist uses this as evidence to challenge their thoughts
Cognitive treatment for depression
(cbt)
Ellis - rebt
ABCDE
D= dispute
E= effect
Identify and challenge an irrational belief - involve a rigorous argument
Change irrational belief and break link between negative life events and depression
- empirical argument
- logical argument
Cognitive explanation
Strength
Practical application in cbt
Forms basis of cbt
All cognitive aspects can be identified and challenged
Translates into a successful therapy
Cognitive explanation
Limitation
Doesn’t explain all aspects
Beck - theory can’t explain cases where patients have extreme emotions
Ellis - some depression arises without a cause. Explanation only applies to some kinds
Cognitive treatment
Strength
Effective
March - compares effects of cbt with antidepressants and a combination of the two
327 adolescents
After 36 weeks : 81% cbt group
81% antidepressants group
86% of combined
Cognitive treatment
Limitation
Success may be due to therapist patient relationship
Differences between therapies might be small but the all share the patient therapist relationship- quality of this relationship determines success
Characteristics of phobias
Cognitive
Cognitive distortions
Irrational beliefs
Selective attention to phobic stimulus
Characteristics of phobias
Behavioural
Panic
Avoidance
Endurance
Characteristics of phobias
Emotional
Anxiety
Emotional responses are unreasonable
Behavioural explanation for phobias
Acquisition by classical conditioning
Learning to associate something of which we initially have no fear with something that already triggers a response
Little Albert:
US (noise) > UR (fear)
US (noise) + NS (rat) > UR (fear)
CS (rat) > CR (fear)
Behavioural explanations for phobias
Maintenance by operant conditioning
Reinforced or punished
Negative reinforcement - avoid unpleasant situation, desirable consequence, behaviour repeated
Reduction in fear reinforces the avoidance behaviour - phobia is maintained
Behavioural treatment for phobias
Systematic desensitisation
Counterconditioning - phobic stimulus is paired with relaxation
Reciprocal inhibition - impossible to be afraid and relaxed at the same time - one emotion prevents the other
- Anxiety hierarchy
- Relaxation
- Exposure
Behavioural treatment for phobias
Flooding
Immediate exposure to phobic stimulus
Without option of avoidance behaviour - quickly learn phobic stimulus is harmless
Classical conditioning - extinction - CS is encountered without the US. CS no longer produces CR
Behavioural explanation for phobias
Strength
Good explanatory power
Two process model - how phobias are maintained - patient is prevented from practising avoidance behaviour - behaviour ceases to be reinforced - application to therapies
Behavioural explanation for phobias
Limitation
Incomplete explanation
Evolutionary factors - biological preparedness- innate predisposition to acquire certain fears
Behavioural treatment of phobias
Strength
SD - 45 patients treated for spider phobia - check up after 3+33 months - SD group less fearful than relaxation
Flooding - cost effective - free from symptoms ASAP and treatment is cheaper
Behavioural treatment for phobias
Limitation
Flooding
Less effective for social phobias that have cognitive aspects
Treatment is traumatic - unwilling to see it through to end
Characteristics of OCD
Behaviour
Compulsions are :
•repetitive
•reduce anxiety
Avoidance
Characteristics of depression
Emotional
Anxiety and distress
Accompanying depression
Guilt and disgust
