Psycopathology Flashcards
What are the evaluation points for the biological approach to treating OCD?
+) effectiveness of drug therapy
C.P -> 30% patients do not repsond to SSRI’s
-) cost-effectiveness
C.P-> ST solution, CBT could be LT solution
-) reductionist perspective
C.P-> validity
How is effectiveness of drug therapy a strength of the biological approach to treating OCD?
Point: Drug therapies, like SSRIs, are effective in reducing OCD symptoms.
Evidence: Soomro et al. (2009) found SSRIs helped reduce symptoms in 70% of patients.
Explanation: This supports the biological approach, suggesting SSRIs balance serotonin levels, alleviating OCD symptoms. They are often prescribed as a first-line treatment.
Link: Therefore, SSRIs offer a practical, effective biological treatment for OCD, helping many patients manage their symptoms.
Counterpoint: However, about 30% of patients do not respond to SSRIs, indicating that drug therapy isn’t universally effective, and other treatments may be needed.
How is cost-effectiveness a strength of the Biological approach to treating OCD?
Point: Drug therapies are more cost-effective than psychological therapies like CBT.
Evidence: Medication is cheaper and quicker to administer, requiring fewer healthcare resources.
Explanation: This makes drug therapy an accessible option, especially for those with severe symptoms who may struggle with therapy.
Link: Thus, drugs can be a practical first-line intervention for OCD.
Counterpoint: However, drug therapies don’t address the root causes of OCD. While cost-effective, they lack long-term helpfulness, as symptoms may return once treatment ends, unlike therapies targeting underlying issues.
How is a reductionist perspective a limitation of the biological approach to treating OCD?
Point: The biological approach is reductionist, focusing only on brain chemistry and ignoring other factors.
Evidence: CBT is more effective for some, addressing cognitive distortions and environmental triggers.
Explanation: This suggests the biological approach oversimplifies OCD, which may limit its effectiveness for some individuals.
Link: Therefore, a combination of biological and psychological treatments may provide a more comprehensive solution.
Counterpoint: However, despite being reductionist, the biological approach has validity. Research shows neurotransmitter imbalances, like low serotonin levels, are linked to OCD, making the biological model a credible and evidence-based treatment.
What are the causes of OCD according to the biological approach ?
genetic factors
neutransmitter imbalances
brain structure abnormalities, caudate nucleus
low seretonin
How does seretonin play a role in OCD?
Low levels of sereton linked to OCD
seretonin helps regulate mood and anxiety
defieicency may contribute to intrusive thoughts and compulsive behaviours
What are SSRI’s and how do they work in treating OCD?
SSRI’s increase seretonin levels in the brain by blocking reuptake
allevites OCD symptoms by improving seretonin function
What is an SSRI example?
sertraline
What is an evidence for SSRI’s?
Soomro et al (2009) meta-analysis showed SSRI’s more effective than placebo.
60-70% of patients showed sig improvement
What are tricyclics and how do they work in treatment for OCD?
older class of anti-depressants that increase seretonin levels in brain
used when SSRI’s are ineffective but have more side-effect
What are the evaluation points for evaluating genetic explanations?
+) research support for genetic explanations
C.P-> concordance not 100
-)
How is research support for genetic explanations a strength of the biological approach to treating depression?
Point: Genetic explanations for OCD are supported by research evidence.
Evidence: Bolton found a concordance rate of 57% in MZ twins and 22% in DZ twins.
Explanation: MZ twins share 100% of their DNA, while DZ twins share only 50%. The higher concordance in MZ twins suggests a genetic component to OCD.
Link: This indicates a probable genetic basis for OCD.
Counterpoint: However, if OCD were purely genetic, concordance in MZ twins would be 100%, so genetics are not the sole explanation.
How are family studies a strength of genetic explanations of the biological approach to treating OCD?
Point: Family studies provide evidence for a genetic element in OCD.
Evidence: Lewis (1936) found that 37% of OCD patients had parents with OCD, and 21% had siblings with the disorder.
Explanation: This suggests that genetics may play a role in the development of OCD, as it appears to run in families.
Link: Therefore, genetic explanations may account for OCD in some individuals.
Counterpoint: However, the percentages are relatively low, indicating that genetics alone cannot explain OCD, and other factors must contribute.
How is a lack of sucsess in drug therapy a limitation of neural explanations?
Point: The lack of success in drug therapy highlights limitations in the biological approach to explaining OCD.
Evidence: SSRIs, which target serotonin levels, are ineffective for about 40% of OCD patients.
Explanation: This suggests that while serotonin imbalances may contribute to OCD in some individuals, they do not account for all cases. The 40% who do not respond may have alternative causes, such as environmental or cognitive factors.
Link: This limitation shows that the biological approach cannot fully explain OCD in all individuals.
How is research support for dopamine’s role a strength of the neural explanations for OCD?
Point: Research supports the role of dopamine in OCD.
Evidence: Szechtmann found that animals exhibited stereotypical movements and behaviors when dopamine levels were artificially increased in a controlled lab setting.
Explanation: This suggests dopamine is linked to OCD, as the controlled conditions make the findings valid and reliable.
Counterpoint: However, animal studies are difficult to generalize to humans due to differences in brain complexity, as human brains are far more intricate than animal brains.
Link: While dopamine may play a role in OCD, it cannot fully explain the disorder in all individuals.
What are the evaluiation points for the biological approach to explaining OCD?
Genetic
+) family studies c.p-> low %
+) research ev C.P -> concordance is not 100
Neural
-) lack of sucsess in drug therapy
+) research support
What is the role of genetics in the biological explanation of OCD?
Genetics suggest that OCD is inherited. It is believed to be polygenic, meaning multiple genes contribute to its development.
How do twin studies support the genetic explanation of OCD?
Twin studies show higher concordance rates for OCD in monozygotic (MZ) twins, who share 100% of their DNA, compared to dizygotic (DZ) twins, who share 50%.
How is serotonin involved in the neural explanation of OCD?
OCD is linked to low levels of serotonin, which impairs communication between neurons, affecting mood and repetitive behaviors.
What is the COMT gene, and how is it linked to OCD?
The COMT gene regulates dopamine levels. A variation of this gene leads to higher dopamine levels, which are linked to compulsive behaviors seen in OCD.
What is the SERT gene, and how is it linked to OCD?
The SERT gene is involved in the transport of serotonin. A variation of this gene causes lower serotonin levels, which are associated with symptoms of OCD.
What role does dopamine play in OCD?
High levels of dopamine are associated with compulsive behaviors, as they can enhance repetitive actions.
What are the evaluation points for the cognitive treatments of depression?
+) research support
-) too much effort
+) meta-analysis
How is research support a strength of the coginitive treatments of depression?
Point: Research supports the effectiveness of CBT in treating depression.
Evidence: A 36-week study found that 81% of the antidepressant group and 81% of the CBT group showed significant improvement. The combination group (CBT + antidepressants) had an even higher improvement rate at 86%.
Explanation: This highlights that CBT is effective, supporting the usefulness of the cognitive approach in treatment.
Link: However, as the combination of CBT and antidepressants is most effective, this suggests that biological elements should also be considered alongside CBT.
What are 2 explanations of the cognitive approach to treating depression?
Becks negative triad
Ellis’s ABC model
How is requireing tooo much effor a limitation of the congitice approachj to treating depression?
Point: CBT requires significant effort from the patient, leading to mixed success rates.
Evidence: Severely depressed individuals may struggle to engage with CBT or even attend sessions, making it less effective for them. Antidepressants may be more suitable in such cases.
Explanation: This suggests that CBT is ineffective for severely depressed patients, where the biological approach may offer better outcomes.
Link: Therefore, the cognitive approach is not successful for everyone and may need to be combined with biological treatments for greater effectiveness.
What is added to the ABC model to make REBT?
dispute and effect
What is disputing irrational thoughts in the congitive approach to treating depression?
dispute whether thoughts are empirical, logical or pragmatic
What is the effect in the ABCDE REBT model?
client goes from catatstrophising to making rational interpretations when facing eith the activating event
What are parts of the Beck’s CBT?
Goal-setting
Homework
Identifying irrational thoughts
What is goal setting?
therapist and patient jointly identify goals for therapy and put together a plan to achieve them
What is homework?
CBT involves working to change negative and irrational thoughts and replace hem with more effective behaviours
What is identifying irrational thoughts?
identify where there may be negative or irrational thoughts that would benifit being challenged
What is a commmon feature of the congitive approach to ttreating depresion in the therapies?
unconditional positive regard where therpaist values client and makes them feel worthwhile. makes client more invested in treatment
How is meta-analysis support a strength of the congitive treatment fr derpression?
Point: Meta-analyses provide strong evidence for the effectiveness of cognitive therapies like REBT and CBT.
Evidence: Ellis reported a 90% success rate for REBT, and Cuijpers’ meta-analysis of 75 studies found CBT significantly more effective than no treatment. Success rates were measured using standardized, ethically validated questionnaires.
Explanation: The use of large-scale, rigorously conducted meta-analyses ensures that the findings are valid and reliable.
Link: This highlights the usefulness and success of cognitive therapies in treating depression, supported by robust research evidence.
How is research support a strength of the congitive explanations of depression?
Point: Research supports the role of cognitive vulnerability in depression.
Evidence: In a study of 65 pregnant women assessed for cognitive vulnerability and depression, those with high cognitive vulnerability were more likely to develop postnatal depression. Cognitive distortions were observed before the depression developed.
Explanation: This suggests that cognitive distortions could contribute to the onset of depression, rather than just being a characteristic of it.
Counterpoint: However, the study shows a correlation, not causation, meaning other factors, such as hormonal changes, could be influencing both cognitive vulnerability and depression.
Link: Despite this, the findings support the cognitive approach as a valuable explanation for depression.
How is not all depression being caused by an activating event a limitation?
Point: Ellis’s ABC model suggests that activating events trigger irrational thoughts, leading to depression.
Evidence: Some depression follows specific activating events, referred to as reactive depression, which is different from depression that arises without any clear cause.
Explanation: This means Ellis’s ABC model could accurately explain the cause of reactive depression.
Counterpoint: However, in cases of clinical depression where there is no identifiable activating event, the ABC model fails to explain how depression develops.
Link: Therefore, while the model can explain some types of depression, it cannot account for all cases, limiting its overall applicability.
How is alternative explanations a limitations of the cognitive explanations of depression?
Point: The biological approach offers an alternative explanation for depression, suggesting low levels of serotonin contribute to the condition.
Evidence: Drug therapies that increase serotonin levels have shown success in treating depression, supporting this biological explanation.
Explanation: The success of these treatments strengthens the argument that there is a biological component to depression.
Counterpoint: However, this explanation cannot account for all cases of depression, as it fails to consider the role of cognitive factors and ignores the complexity of depression’s causes.
Link: Therefore, while the biological approach provides valuable insight, it does not offer a complete explanation of depression.
What are the evaluartion points for the congitive approach explaining depression?
+) research support
-) alternative explanation
-) not all depression has an activating event
What are the 3 componennts of Beck’s negative triad?q
Cognitive bias
Negative self-schemas
the negative triad