Psychotherapy Flashcards
Define psychotherapy.
“…the informed & intentional application of clinical methods & interpersonal stances derived from established psychological principles for the purpose of assisting people to modify their behaviors, cognitions, emotions, &/or other personal characteristics in directions that participants deem desirable.”
What are the 6 theoretical orientations? What do they have in common?
Psychoanalytic/Psychodynamic, Interpersonal, Family, Behavioral, Cognitive, Cognitive-Behavioral. In common: Expectations (one expects that by seeking help, one will change), Therapeutic relationship/alliance (behaviorism < cognitive < CBT < psychoanalytic), Hawthorne effect (improvement as a result of receiving attention)
What is psychoanalysis/psychodynamic therapy based on? What are the aims? What are the techniques? Is it a short- or long-term therapy? What does it treat?
Based on the idea that unconscious conflicts are repressed & cause difficulty (insight-oriented). Aims: Unconscious –> Conscious, Understanding conflicts & behaviors. Techniques: Free association, analysis of transferance, analysis of resistance, dream interpretation. Mostly long-term therapy. Treats: Depression, anxiety, some personality disorders.
What is interpersonal orientation based on? What is the aim? What are the major interpersonal problems that are emphasized? What is the focus of therapy? Is it short- or long-term therapy? What does it treat?
Based on idea that problematic attachments early in life predispose one to develop disorders characterized by troubled interpersonal relationships. Aim is to correct interpersonal relationships. Major interpersonal problems are loss & grief, role disputes, role transitions, interpersonal deficits. Focus of treatment is current relationships. Short-term therapy. Treats: Depression, eating disorders.
What is family systems orientation based on? What is the aim? What are the techniques? What does it treat?
Based on the idea that identified patient reflects a dysfunction in the whole family system (“the family is the patient”). Aim is to help improve family’s relational health. Techniques are normalizing boundaries and redefining blame. Treats: Children w/ behavioral problems, families with conflict, teenagers w/ eating/substance disorders.
What does group therapy treat?
Group therapies treat people with common experiences, common disorders, or interpersonal difficulties.
What is behavioral therapy based on? What is the aim? What are the techniques? What does it treat?
Based on learning theory. Aim is to relieve symptoms by unlearning maladaptive behaviors. Techniques are based on classical conditioning: Systematic desensitization, Aversive conditioning, Flooding/implosion, Token economy. Treats: Phobias (via systemmatic desensitization, flooding), Depression (via behavioral activation), Autism spectrum disorders (via applied behavioral analysis, token economy), Psychotic disorders (via token economy)
What are the phases of classical conditioning? With a time delay, what happens to the CR?
Phase 1: Before conditioning has occurred (UCS –> UCR), Neutral stimulus [eventually CS] –> Orienting response). Phase 2: Process of conditioning (Neutral stimulus followed by UCS –> UCR). Phase 3: CS –> CR. With a time delay, there is spontaneous recovery, but at a lower strength.
What is stimulus generalization? What is stimulus discrimination?
Stimulus generalization occurs when modification of the stimulus yields less (but not loss) of a response. Stimulus discrimination occurs when there is a learned differentiation among similar stimuli such that there is no response to a modified stimulus.
What are some applications of classical conditioning? What specifically is being used?
Systemmatic Desensitization for Phobias, Addictions
What is operant/instrumental conditioning based on?
Learning the consequences of behavior.
What is a reinforcer? What is positive? What is negative?
Event that increases probability that the operant behavior will occur again. + Stimulus that if presented strengthens behavior. - Stimulus that if removed strengthens behavior.
What should the delay of reinforcement be to improve response? What about the size?
Reinforcement should be soon after and as large as possible to increase response.
“Reinforcement is delivered every time a response occurs.” & “Reinforcement is given only some of the time.”
Continuous Reinforcement Schedule. Partial/Intermittent Reinforcement Schedule.
For partial/intermittent reinforcement schedules, what is a fixed ratio schedule? Variable ratio? Fixed interval? Variable interval? What is best in terms of achieving prolonged, consistent responses over time? What about achieving immediate responses?
(For reinforcement to occur…) FR: Fixed number of responses required. VR: Number of responses required varies. FI: Fixed set of time must elapse. VI: Time interval that must elapse varies. Interval schedules achieve long-lasting responses, whereas ratio responses can achieve immediate responses, but are unlikely to be long-lasting.
