Reisinger: Behavioural Treatment Of Depression

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

Participants

Answer 3

White female, 20 years old

Impatient for 6 years

Question 4

Procedure

Answer 4

Told how she could gain or be fined tokens

Each token could be traded to purchase better sleeping facilities, watch tele, go on trips etc

Received token when she smiled
Social reinforcements were also given e.g. Well done

A fine resulted in a removal of a token when participant cried

Lasted 20 weeks

Various other complex elements introduced throughout the weeks

Question 5

Measurements

Answer 5

‘The smiling response’: a slight opening of the mouth and an upward turning of the

‘Crying response’ tears for 5-30 min(after counts as new episode)

Recorded by staff 3 times a day , each rating being 2 hours max

At least 10ft away

Inter rater reliability (a 0.95 coefficient was found)

Question 6

Results

Answer 6

Baseline: recorded smiling 0 times a week, crying 30

Final week: smiling 27 times , crying 2 times

Follow up at 14 months showed no recommendation for hospitalisation or further treatment

Question 7

Conclusions

Answer 7

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

Question 8

Background

Answer 8

Behavioural treatments - based in assumption that depressed behaviours are learned therefore can be unlearned

Some people may be depressed as they are rewarded (attention) for this behaviour therefore expectations lowered therefore not need to work as hard giving a compelling reason to remain in ‘depressed’ state

Therefore best treatment is to reinforce non-depressed behaviours