Therapy and DSM Flashcards
What is the key idea regarding therapy?
Clients undergoing therapy show greater improvement than those who do not.
Those not in therapy may improve over time, but therapy clients are more likely to improve, do so more quickly, and with a lower risk of relapse.
How does the length of therapy affect success?
The more therapy sessions a person has, the greater the likelihood of success.
The rate of improvement levels off after a certain point.
Is there a ‘best’ form of therapy?
There is no one-size-fits-all ‘best’ therapy.
Behavior Therapy has a slight advantage for treating anxiety, while Cognitive Therapy has a slight advantage for treating depression.
What are the three key elements in successful therapy?
Hope, New Perspective, and Caring Relationship.
Clients enter therapy with hope for recovery, therapy offers insight, and a supportive relationship with the therapist is a major predictor of success.
What is the therapeutic alliance?
The bond of trust and mutual understanding between therapist and client.
A strong therapeutic alliance is critical to successful therapy.
What is the purpose of classifying psychological disorders?
Helps in predicting the outcome, suggesting treatment options, and facilitating research into causes of psychological disorders.
What is the DSM-5?
Provides data on ____, ____, and ____.
The American Psychiatric Association’s manual for diagnosing psychological disorders in the U.S.
It provides data on prevalence, etiology, and prognosis.
What is diagnostic criteria?
People must meet specific criteria to be diagnosed with a disorder.
What are some cons of the DSM-5?
5 cons
Medical/Biological Focus, Field Testing Limitations, Everyday Problems as Disorders, Political Influence, and Labeling Impact.
What was the Rosenhan Study (1973) about?
Researchers pretended to have schizophrenia to gain admission to mental hospitals, then acted normally.
Despite their normal behavior, the staff continued to diagnose them as ‘schizophrenic.’
What is the APA’s stance on labeling?
The APA recommends labeling the behavior rather than labeling the person as a whole.
What is the Research Domain Criteria (RDoC)?
A newer approach to classifying psychological disorders that focuses on research symptoms rather than diagnostic categories.
What are the key features of RDoC?
Behavioral Focus, organized around observable behaviors and brain activity , rather than traditional diagnostic labels.
What is a con of RDoC?
While it moves away from traditional labels, it still has the potential to influence how individuals are categorized and treated.
