Psychopathology 3

1. Psychopathology 3 Psychological models of abnormality

2. Models of Abnormality • Biological (medical) • Psychological • Psychodynamic • Behavioural • Cognitive

3. Psychodynamic Approach (Freud, Jung, etc.)

4. Psychodynamic ApproachMain Assumptions: • Experiences in our earlier years can affect our emotions, attitudes and behaviour in later years without us being aware of it • Patient will be cured if • repressed memories can be recovered from the unconscious through psychotherapy, and • the patient experiences the emotional pain of these repressed memories https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TxBdidos-xg https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wWsbk9rRIY8 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2slg6pXP5qM

6. Inner parent: the conscience Inner child: I want it and I want it NOW! Self: protector/ voice of reason Freud’s Theory of Personality

7. Psychosexual Stages of Development See http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cvOoYX45G_0

8. EVALUATION OF THE PSYCHODYNAMIC APPROACH • Strengths • Insight that early experiences can affect us throughout our lives • Problems are not the patient’s fault • Suggests there is no need for medical intervention • Patient, with psychoanalyst, can find a cure through own resources • Weaknesses • Cannot be scientifically validated; e.g. cannot demonstrate the unconscious exists or repressed memories are real • Highly subjective analysis/interpretation by therapist • Time-consuming and expensive • May be harmful (1952 review of 7000 cases by Eysenck)

9. Fairy Tale Psychoanalysis http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l_UtFKgeHsY

10. L8 The Behavioural Model

11. Behavioural Model:Main Assumptions • All behaviour (including abnormal behaviour) is learned through experience • Classical and/or operant conditioning • What has been learned/acquired can be unlearned through conditioning • Undesirable or maladaptive behaviour can be replaced by desirable or adaptive behaviour

12. CLASSICAL CONDITIONING Classical Conditioning was one of the first types of learning to be discovered. It was studied by Ivan Pavlov using his dogs. Ivan Pavlov http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l_UtFKgeHsY

13. How this can cause a phobia….. • Classical conditioning: • We learn to associate one thing with another • Example • Child on mum’s knee • Child sees spider (NS) – unafraid (never seen spider before!) • Mum sees spider • Mum screams and drops baby! • Baby associates spider with fear and lump on head (UCS)! • Baby sees spider • Baby cries! (CR)

14. Operant Conditioning • A behaviour that has a positive effect is more likely to be repeated • Positive and negative reinforcement (escape from aversive stimulus) are agreeable • Punishment is disagreeable • Therefore treatment is by positive & negative reinforcement and punishment • used in schools to treat disruptive children • and in treatment of disorders such as anorexia

15. Results in the behaviour being repeated Reinforcement of Behaviour(by reward) Behaviour can then be SHAPED to give a desired response. OPERANT CONDITIONING B. F. Skinner (1904-1990) Operant Conditioning The PIGEON & The Skinner Box

16. How can this cause abnormal behaviour? • We can learn to associate an action with a reward or sanction • Example • Boy sees sweets at checkout • Boy wants sweets but mum says No! • Boy screams and shouts and has a tantrum • Mum gives sweets, reinforcing bad behaviour • Boy learns tantrums = getting what he wants! • So next time boy wants sweets … (etc.) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I_ctJqjlrHA

17. Social Learning Theory • Imitation of role models and reinforcement can also lead to abnormal behaviour • Example • Girl watches mother (who has OCD) ritualistically washing every item in house daily • Girl cleans own things in same way – copying mum! • Mum is “role model” • Evidence: • Bandura’s bobo doll experiment http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zerCK0lRjp8

18. Advantages & Limitations • Advantages • Effective in treating phobias, other neurotic disorders e.g. OCD • especially when combined with cognitive approaches • Can ignore history and focus directly on maladaptive behaviour • Limitations • Less useful for serious disorders e.g. schizophrenia, psychosis • Only behaviour is considered; thoughts and feelings ignored • may change behaviour without resolving causes • Ignores possible medical causes of abnormal behaviour, e.g. • genetic element in anorexia • lack of glucose in depression • excessive dopamine in several mental disorders

19. Activity • Anorexia Nervosa is an eating disorder where sufferers gradually starve themselves, sometimes with fatal consequences. • Use classical conditioning, operant conditioning, and social learning theory (modelling) to explain the development of Anorexia Nervosa.

20. COGNITIVE MODEL

21. The Cognitive Model: Main Assumptions • Thinking (“cognition”) is processing information • Cognition influences how we feel and behave • Cognitive disorders (and abnormal behaviour) stem from negative or disorganised thinking • Thoughts can be monitored, evaluated and altered (to be more positive or organised) • Cognitive change will lead to behavioural change

22. Beck’s (1976) Cognitive Triad • Negative (irrational) thoughts that depressed individuals have about... • Themselves: “I am helpless and inadequate” • The world: “The world is full of insuperable obstacles” • The future: “I am worthless, so there’s no chance that the future will be any better than the present”

23. Evaluation of the Cognitive Approach • Strengths • Focuses on patient’s thought processes, not history • Effective, especially with behavioural therapy • Empowers the individual to take responsibility • Weaknesses • Ignores other causes of abnormality e.g. medical and environmental • Therefore can place blame unfairly on individual • e.g., depression may be valid response to bad situation