Question 1

Which of these is not a benefit of prescribing medications for psychological disorders?&#10;A) Medications usually have long-lasting effects that are maintained once the medication is withdrawn&#10;B) Medications are usually cheaper to provide than therapies&#10;C) There are not enough qualified therapists to give therapy to all who need it. Medication can help people who don't have access to therapy&#10;D) Taking medication takes less time and effort than engaging in therapy

Accepted Answer

Medications for psychological disorders often do not have long-lasting effects once they are withdrawn. Their benefits frequently depend on continued use, unlike some forms of therapy that aim to teach coping mechanisms or address root causes, potentially leading to more enduring changes without ongoing treatment.

Question 2

What is a randomised controlled trial (RCT)?&#10;A) An experiment where participants take part in a number of interventions in a randomised order&#10;B) An experiment where some of the participants will be randomly assigned to receive the intervention of interest, and the others will receive no treatment or a control treatment&#10;C) An experiment where all participants trial a new treatment, followed by a control treatment&#10;D) None of the above

Accepted Answer

A randomised controlled trial (RCT) is characterized by the random assignment of participants into groups where one group receives the intervention being tested, and the control group receives no treatment or a standard treatment for comparison. This design helps to minimize bias and establish causality.

Question 3

Which of the following is not a difficulty of running an RCT?&#10;A) It is difficult to know whether improvements in treated clients were due to the new intervention or simply the passage of time&#10;B) Drop-out rates are often very high&#10;C) It is difficult to make sure that outcome assessments are objective and unbiased&#10;D) The researcher's excitement about an intervention may result in that intervention doing better than it's comparison

Accepted Answer

The difficulty described in A is actually a reason for running an RCT (Randomized Controlled Trial), not a difficulty of running one. RCTs are designed to isolate the effect of the intervention from other factors, such as the passage of time, by comparing the intervention group to a control group.

Question 4

What does it mean to have a &#34;double-blind&#34; trial?&#10;A) The participant doesn't know whether or not they are receiving the treatment of interest&#10;B) The researcher doesn't know whether or not the participant is receiving the treatment of interest&#10;C) Neither the participant or the researcher knows whether or not the participant is receiving the treatment of interest&#10;D) Both the participant and the researcher know whether or not the participant is receiving the treatment of interest

Accepted Answer

A double-blind trial means that neither the participants nor the researchers know who is receiving the treatment of interest and who is receiving a placebo, eliminating bias in the study's results.

Question 5

Why might meta-analyses of treatment trials be used in the context of intervention evaluation?&#10;A) Meta-analyses test whether it is feasible to carry out a trial of a new intervention&#10;B) Meta-analyses enable the pooling of results from a number of trials, to give a more powerful insight into the effectiveness of new interventions&#10;C) Meta-analyses of treatment trials identify why new interventions are or are not effective&#10;D) Both B and C

Accepted Answer

Meta-analyses are primarily used to combine results from multiple studies to achieve a more comprehensive and statistically significant understanding of the effectiveness of interventions. This approach does not directly test the feasibility of new trials (A) or delve into the reasons behind the effectiveness of interventions (C), but rather focuses on quantitatively summarizing the evidence from existing trials.

Question 6

Which of the following describes the theoretical framework of Freud's psychodynamic theory?&#10;A) People are influenced by early traumatic experiences&#10;B) People are influenced by 'unconscious desires'&#10;C) Characters and situations in people's dreams are symbolic of other things, such as the individual's feelings of resentment or sexual desires&#10;D) All of the above

Accepted Answer

Freud's psychodynamic theory encompasses all these aspects: the impact of early traumatic experiences, the influence of unconscious desires, and the symbolic nature of dreams, reflecting deeper feelings and desires.

Question 7

Which of the following is true of Freud's psychodynamic approach to treatment of psychological disorders?&#10;A) Freud identified the role of the unconscious and early life experiences, leading to the later development of other models of psychological treatment&#10;B) It has been shown, in rigorous RCTs, to be superior to CBT for most psychological disorders&#10;C) It is based on sound scientific understanding&#10;D) None of the above

Accepted Answer

Freud's psychodynamic approach emphasized the importance of the unconscious mind and early life experiences in shaping behavior and psychological issues. This foundational concept influenced the development of various other psychological treatment models over time.

Question 8

Why are clients given homework as part of cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT)?&#10;A) To test the client on what they have learnt during the session&#10;B) To check that the client is engaged with the therapy&#10;C) To practice what they have learnt during the session within the outside world&#10;D) None of the above

Accepted Answer

Homework in CBT is designed to help clients practice skills or strategies learned during therapy sessions in real-life situations, thereby reinforcing learning and promoting change.

Question 9

Which of the following is not an ethical principle from the Code of Ethics and Conduct (2009)&#10;A) Dependability&#10;B) Competence&#10;C) Integrity&#10;D) Respect

Accepted Answer

Dependability is not listed as an ethical principle in the Code of Ethics and Conduct (2009). The principles typically include competence, integrity, and respect among others.

Question 10

In which of the following scenarios would it be appropriate to break the confidentiality agreement with a client?&#10;A) It would never be appropriate to break the confidentiality agreement with a client&#10;B) If a client tells you that they have a clear plan to kill themselves after leaving the session&#10;C) If a client tells you that they have abused a child&#10;D) Both B and C

Accepted Answer

Breaking confidentiality is justified in scenarios where there is a clear and immediate danger to the client or others, such as in cases of expressed suicidal intentions with a clear plan (B) or reported child abuse (C), as professionals are mandated reporters in many jurisdictions.

Deck 2: How Are Psychological Disorders Treated