Psychopathology

• What is serotonin meant to do?


  Regulate mood
• OCD = high or low levels of serotonin


  Low
• What is the neural explanation?

  The occurrence of OCD through abnormal functioning of neural mechanisms and neurotransitters.
• What is the SERT gene?

  - Affects the transport of serotonin

  - This causes lower levels of neurotransmitters
• OCD = high or low dopamine levels?

  High
• What is the COMT gene?

  - COMT gene may contribute to OCD

  - COMT gene regulates the production of the neurotransmitter dopamine

  - Their are many alleles of the COMT gene but one particular allele that is most common in patients with OCD

  - This variation produces COMT genes with lower activity and higher levels of dopamine
• What is the basic neural explanation of OCD?

  Abnormal functioning of neural mechanisms and neurotransmitters.
• What is the basic genetic explanation of OCD?

  Hereditary influences through genetic transmission from parent too off-spring.
• What are the two main biological explanations for OCD?

  Genetic & neural
• What are common compulsions?
• What are common obsessions?
• What are obsessive thoughts?

  Thoughts that are highly intrusive and self generated.
• What are the cognitive characteristics of OCD?

  Obsessive thoughts
• Why do people with OCD have high anxiety levels?

  Compulsions reduce the anxiety by allowing a person to temporarily stop the obsessive thought. This causes the sufferer to feel highly distressed when they cannot carry out their compulsion = anxiety
• What are the emotional characteristics of OCD?

  Serve anxiety
• What are compulsions?

  An intense and uncontrollable need to carry out a behaviour or repetitive task. Preventing the person going about their every-day life as they are time consuming.

  e.g. Switching lights on and off 3 times
• What are the behavioural characteristics of OCD?

  Compulsions and Avoidant behaviour
• What are strengths of the use of CBT to treat depression?

  Lots of evidence suggesting that CBT is effective.For example a study found that after 36 weeks 81% of patients were treated from depression.This is a strength as CBT is the first choice of treatment from the NHS so if it's working it allows people to be treated quickly and return back to their jobs suggesting it has positive economic implications.
• What are weakness of CBT to treat depression?


  One weakness is it has been suggested that the treatment between therapies is quite small.One of the things that is similar in CBT and psychodynamic psychotherapy is the therapist client relationship.This is a weakness as it suggests that potentially the effectiveness of CBT is down to the client feeling like they have a person to talk to rather than the nature of the therapy.One weakness of CBT is it mightn't be appropriate for treating depression.For example people suffering with depression often struggle with a lack of motivation and CBT requires a lot of motivation.This is a weakness as it mean CBT mightn't be effective and drug treatments may be more appropriate as it doesn't require the same level of motivation.Another weakness is that CBT is over reliant on the cognitive approach explaining depression.For example CBT wouldn't be effective if someone was depressed because they were in an abusive situation.This is a weakness as CBT mightn't be effective treatment for everyone.HOWEVERWith the cognitive approach explaining why people are depressed it means the patient is in control.
• What is behavioural activation?

  The idea that the therapist encourages the depressed client to be more active and engage in pleasurable activities. This will lead to a reward and also provides more evidence to suggest their irrational thoughts are irrational.
• What is the homework clients undergoing CBT are asked to do and what is the benefit of it?

  Writing down an irrational thought and changing it into a rational one. This will change the clients mindset.
• What does empirical disputing mean?


  Involves the therapists challenging irrational thoughts to show that they may not be consistent with reality . e.g. where is the proof that the thought you have no friends is accurate

  The therapist would also present a counter argument. e.g. messages from a friend asking if they want to go for dinner
• What does logical disputing mean?

  Involves the therapist challenging irrational thoughts to show they do not logically follow the information available.

  e.g. does it make sense that if your friend doesn't text you back immediately they hate you?
• What are the two ways therapists can dispute the irrational thoughts of the client?

  1) Logical disputing

  2) Empirical disputing
• What is the ABCDE model?

  Ellis extended the ABC model for REBT therapy

  D= disputing irrational thoughts

  E= effect
• What is REBT?

  Rational emotive behaviour therapy

  Works by identifying and challenging irrational thoughts to show the client how irrational they are and replace them with more effective and rational thoughts.
• What are four key elements of CBT?

  - Identifying irrational thoughts

  - Challenging the irrational thoughts through direct questioning

  - More rational thoughts leading to the effects of feeling better

  - Behavioural action
• What is a weakness of Ellis ABC model?


  Not all irrational beliefs are irrational they may just seem irrational.For example a study found depressed people gave more accurate estimate of the likelihood of disaster than non-depressed people.This suggests that people with depression are just more realists and see things as the way they are.
• Evaluate both Ellis and Becks explanations for depression?


  Neither explanations can explain all symptoms of depression.For example some people with depression get really angry or struggle with hallucinations and neither of these can be explained by Ellis or Beck.This is a weakness as it suggests cognitive approach cannot explain all behaviours.Cognitive approach suggests that the client is responsible for their depression.For example it is there thinking.This is a strength as it suggests that treatment may be easier.HOWEVERThey may feel really demotivated and hate themselves more
• What are two strengths of Beck's negative triad?

  A strength of cognitive approach to explain depression is that it has had practical application.For example Beck's theory forms the basis of CBT as it shows that cognitive elements can be identified and challenged.This is a strength as by Beck's negative triad being used in treatment it strengthens the validity of the explanation.A strength is there is evidence that suggests depression is associated cognitive vulnerability.For example a study found that women judged to have higher cognitive vulnerability were more likely to develop post-natal depression.This is a strength as it means Beck gas a valid explanation.
• What is the negative triad?

  Negative view of self, world and future
• What is a negative self-schema?

  A package of information about ourselves which are negative
• What is faulty information processing?

  - When depressed focusing on the negative aspects and ignoring the positives

  - Blowing small problems out of proportion
• What are the three parts of Beck's theory of cognitive vulnerability?

  Faulty information processing, negative self-schema, negative triad
• Describe Ellis ABC model that causes depression

  They first have a negative event which triggers the onset of depression. Than they have a belief which is irrational. Finally this irrational belief triggers the negative consequence of depression.
• What are the three steps in Ellis' ABC model?

  1Activating event - a normal event2Belief - an irrational or rational belief following the event3Consequence - if belief is rational than positive consequence of no depression however if the belief is irrational than the negative consequence of depression.
• What are the two cognitive based theories to explain depression?

  Ellis' ABC model & Beck's negative triad
• What are the cognitive characteristics of depression?

  - Negative views of the world

  - Negative expectations of themselves (unrealistic)

  - Irrational thoughts
• What are the emotional characteristics of deppression?

  - Sadness

  - Loss of interest

  - Anger
• What are the behavioural characteristics of depression?


  - Shift in energy

  - Sleep

  - Appetite