Reisinger: Behavioural Treatment

Question 1

Aim?

Answer 1

To find out whether a behavioural therapy, token economy, could be used to treat an inpatient with a diagnosis of depression.

Question 2

Method?

Answer 2

Case study

Question 3

PP?

Answer 3

• white female
• 20 years old
• inpatient for 6 years

Question 4

Procedure?

Answer 4

• token= poker chips
• traded in to purchase benefits e.g better sleeping facilities, watch television, go on trips
• received a token when observed smiling= slight opened mouth, upturned lips
• removed a token when observed crying= tears coming for 5-30 mins
• lasted 20 weeks

Question 5

How was she observed?

Answer 5

• responses recorded by staff 3x a day
• each rating being a 2 hour max duration
• arranged in conjunction with meal time
• observers at least 10ft from pp
• inter-rated reliability= 0.95 coefficient

Question 6

Results?

Answer 6

First=
•reported smiling 0 times a week
•crying 30 times a week

Second=
•smiling 27 times
•crying 2 times

Follow up 14 months= patient had no recommendation for hospitalisation or further treatment

Question 7

Conclusions?

Answer 7

The study would demonstrate that behavioural therapies can be very effective in the treatment of depression.

Question 8

Strengths?

Answer 8

• very high inter-rater reliability= high accuracy
• longitudinal= more detailed data of her development
• standardised= higher internal reliability

Question 9

Weaknesses?

Answer 9

• low population validity
• cannot generalise
• limited usefulness
• subjective operationalised ‘smiling’ and ‘crying’
• demand characteristics
• 1975= outdated?

Question 10

Behaviourist?

Answer 10

Depressed behaviours are learned and therefore can be unlearned.