Deck 14: Section 1: Therapies

Question 1

How are the operant conditioning procedures of positive reinforcement and extinction used to modify behaviors?

Answer 1

The answer should contain the following information: Operant conditioning is a model of learning that is based on the principle that behavior is shaped and maintained by its consequences. Positive reinforcement and extinction are operant conditioning techniques that involve controlling the consequences that follow behaviors. Positive reinforcement increases the incidence of desired behaviors, whereas, extinction, or the absence of reinforcement, is used to reduce the occurrence of undesired behaviors. To extinguish an undesired behavior (say, in a child or a pet), one might ignore it rather than continue to reinforce it with attention. To positively reinforce a desired behavior, one might respond to the desired behavior with abundant praise, encouragement, social attention, and other rewards.

Question 2

Describe the psychotherapy techniques that were developed by Sigmund Freud, and explain their therapeutic functions.

Answer 2

The answer should include the following information: Sigmund Freud developed the technique of psychoanalysis, in which free association, dream interpretation, and analysis of resistance and transference are used to explore repressed or unconscious impulses, anxieties, and internal conflicts. Free association is a technique in which the patient spontaneously reports all thoughts, feelings, and mental images that arise, revealing unconscious thoughts and emotions. Dream interpretation is a technique in which the content of the patient's dreams is analyzed for disguised or symbolic wishes, meanings, and motivations. During the therapy session, the psychoanalyst delivers carefully timed explanations of the patient's dreams, free associations, or behaviors to facilitate the recognition of unconscious conflicts or motivations. Resistance and transference are processes that occur during therapy. Resistance is the patient's unconscious attempts to block the revelation of repressed memories and conflicts. Resistance is generally regarded as a sign that the patient is uncomfortably close to uncovering psychologically threatening material. Transference is the process by which emotions and desires originally associated with a significant person in the patient's life (such as a parent) are unconsciously transferred onto the psychoanalyst. The conflicts are then relived and played out in the context of the relationship between the psychoanalyst and the patient. These techniques are all designed to help the patient see how past conflicts influence current behavior and relationships. Once these insights are achieved, the patient can work through and resolve long-standing conflicts. As resolution occurs, maladaptive behaviors that were previously driven by unconscious conflicts can be replaced with more adaptive responses.

Question 3

Mariah will graduate from college in a year, and she's caught between two possible options for graduate school: a licensed professional counselor or a counseling psychologist. Describe the requirements associated with each of these professions.

Answer 3

The answer should include the following information: A licensed professional counselor holds at least a master's degree in counseling, with extensive training in assessment, counseling, and therapy techniques. A licensed professional counselor may be certified in specialty areas, with most states requiring licensure or certification. A counseling psychologist holds an academic doctorate and must be licensed to practice. He or she assesses and treats mental, emotional, and behavioral problems and disorders, but usually disorders that are of lesser severity.

Question 4

Describe how Mary Cover Jones treated the boy Peter, and identify the therapeutic technique that she developed.

Question 5

Compare and contrast the basic assumptions of psychoanalysis and client-centered therapy.

Question 6

According to Aaron Beck, what are some of the cognitive biases that operate in depressed people?

Question 7

Compare and contrast the therapeutic use of the token economy and contingency management programs.

Question 8

Contrast the assumptions of behavior therapy with those of cognitive therapy.

Question 9

Describe the basic assumptions and techniques of rational-emotive behavior therapy, including the "ABC" model.

Question 10

According to Carl Rogers, what therapeutic conditions foster change in the therapy client, and why?

Question 11

What are the basic assumptions and processes in Aaron Beck's cognitive therapy (CT)?

Question 12

What are the assumptions and key ideas of interpersonal therapy?

Question 13

How does psychotherapy differ from biomedical therapy? Are the two always used separately?

Question 14

How do insight-oriented therapies (e.g., psychodynamic and humanistic therapies) differ from behavior therapy?

Question 15

Christopher has been depressed for over six months. He has gained weight, his sleep is disturbed, and he and his wife are discussing divorce. Christopher's self-esteem has declined as a result of his weight gain and marital difficulties. How would Freud and Rogers explain the source of Christopher's problems?

Question 16

Describe the steps used in systematic desensitization and identify the conditioning principles involved in this technique.

Question 17

Explain the technique called motivational interviewing, and describe the situations in which it is used.

Question 18

How do short-term dynamic therapies differ from traditional psychoanalysis?

Question 19

Describe similarities and differences in Freud's and Rogers's views of the therapeutic relationship.

Question 20

Describe how virtual reality (VR) therapy is used, explain what principles of conditioning are involved, and identify the psychological problems it is used to treat.

Question 21

Describe three therapeutic techniques that are used in non-European cultures (or used with members of non-European cultures).

Question 22

Describe cognitive-behavioral therapy. What techniques does a cognitive-behavioral therapist use?

Question 23

What are some of the advantages of group therapy compared with individual therapy?

Question 24

What is the most common treatment for bipolar disorder? How does this medication help control periods of mania and depression?

Question 25

Compare the impacts of psychotherapy and antidepressant medication on brain function in patients with major depressive disorder. Which treatment is more effective?

Question 26

What effects do benzodiazepines produce? What are possible side effects?

Question 27

How do paraprofessionals and lay counselors differ?

Question 28

Summarize the basic experimental design and the main findings of the fMRI scan study of emotional and cognitive brain activity in patients with and without major depression. What effects were noted after cognitive therapy?

Question 29

How do the cultural values inherent in Western psychotherapy sometimes clash with the values of other cultures?

Question 30

What are the basic premises of family therapy? How does family therapy differ from individual psychotherapy?

Question 31

What roles do self-help groups play in helping people with psychological problems? Give an example of a self-help group and describe how it works.

Question 32

What are some of the important points that someone should keep in mind if he or she is considering psychotherapy?

Question 33

List and describe at least three drawbacks of early antipsychotic medications.

Question 34

Explain how researchers have investigated the question of whether psychotherapy is effective in the treatment of psychological problems, and describe their findings. Is there a difference in the effectiveness of various psychotherapies?

Question 35

How did the introduction of chlorpromazine influence trends in the hospitalization of patients with mental disorders?

Question 36

Using information presented in the Critical Thinking box "Do Antidepressants Work Better Than Placebos?" describe the results from a meta-analysis conducted by Kirsch and his colleagues (2008).

Question 37

Compare and contrast eclectic psychotherapy to integrative psychotherapy.

Question 38

Compare and contrast the first-generation antidepressants with the second-generation antidepressants and identify the newest antidepressant drugs that have been developed.