Week Three - Reading

Question 1

Define a theory:

Answer 1

A theory is a set of descriptors or principals put forward as an explanation of facts, findings, observations, and experiences. A theory is, therefore, a tool to help organise our ideas in research and practice, but it is not absolute truth.

Question 2

Define disease theoryL

Answer 2

Disease theories attempt to explain why some people develop problems with drugs. Generally, drug dependence is a symptom of a physical or mental disease. Dependence is caused by an abnormality that precedes use of the drug. This is framed in terms of a biochemical abnormality that causes addiction or increases the susceptibility of an individual to develop a drug use problem.

Question 3

Define psychoanalytic theories:

Answer 3

Derivative from Freud, He was the first to put forward the notions of denial, defence mechanisms and resistance.

Psychoanalysis relies heavily on the interpretation of behaviours and feelings, including those contained in dreams, and is personality based, psychoanalysts believe that behaviour is driven by three fundamental personality structures that are the result of both nature (genetics) and nurture (upbringing).

Question 4

Define behavioural theories and the models of this theory:

Answer 4

Behavioural theories are largely restricted to the explanation of observable and measurable behaviour. They consider behaviour to be a consequence of learning or conditioning.

Models include:

• classical conditioning models
• operant conditioning models
• Modelling

Question 5

Define classical conditioning from a alcohol and drug perspective:

Answer 5

From a Pavlovian model, the sights, smells, and sounds that trigger a response are referred to as conditioned stimuli.

While the physiological and psychological responses are known as ‘conditioned responses’ (CR).

Question 6

Define operant-conditioning models

Answer 6

Operant conditioning focus on the reinforcing properties of drugs and the inherent human propensity to repeat immediately pleasurable experiences and avoid immediately unpleasant ones.

There are three main reinforcement processes: positive reinforcement, negative reinforcement, and punishment.

Question 7

Define:

positive reinforcement, negative reinforcement, and punishment.

Answer 7

Positive reinforcement is the application of a positive outcome as a result of a behaviour. For example the pleasant effects of alcohol.

Negative reinforcement is the removal of an unpleasant or negative consequence as a result of a behaviour; for example, relief from anxiety symptoms by smoking cannabis.

Punishment is aimed at reducing behaviour, but it is not considered to be successful in changing behaviour as positive and negative reinforcement.

Question 8

Define cognitive-behavioural theories:

Answer 8

based on a broad cognitive-behavioural theory that hypothesis that both behaviours and cognitions are learned and can therefore be unlearned.

Question 9

Define motivational and change theories:

Answer 9

There are five stages of change that are outlined in the Prochaska and DiClemente (1986) model: precontemplation (person is unconcerned about their use and/or may not want treatment), contemplation (person has some concerns about their use and/or is thinking about the need for change), preparation (person may have decided to take action and made
some movements towards change), action (person is in the process of changing their use) or maintenance (person is working to maintain previ- ous changes), and relapse (person has slipped up and used and/or prema- turely discontinued treatment).