AQA Psychology for A Level Year 1 & AS - Student Book
AQA A-Level Psychology notes on the topic of Psychopathology (which appears on paper one!)
Notes are detailed, containing both AO1 (knowledge and understanding) and AO3 (analysis and evaluation), allowing them to be used to answer any form of question that could come up in the exam from multiple c...
4 - Psychopathology
Contents
Definitions of Abnormality.....................................................................................................................3
Statistical Infrequency.......................................................................................................................3
Failure to Function Adequately..........................................................................................................3
Deviation from Social Norms.............................................................................................................4
Deviation from Ideal Mental Health..................................................................................................4
Phobias..................................................................................................................................................5
Characteristics...................................................................................................................................5
Behavioural Approach to Explaining Phobias.....................................................................................6
Mowrer’s theory............................................................................................................................6
Little Albert Case Study..................................................................................................................6
This results in practical benefits in systematic desensitisation and flooding.........................................6
Mowrer emphasises the importance of exposing the patient to the phobic stimulus because this
prevents the negative reinforcement of avoidance behaviour. The patient realises that the phobic
stimulus is harmless and that their responses are irrational/disproportionate, thus translating into a
successful therapy.................................................................................................................................6
Buck’s alternative explanation for avoidance behaviour.......................................................................6
Behavioural Approach to Treating Phobias........................................................................................7
Systematic Desensitisation............................................................................................................7
Flooding.........................................................................................................................................8
Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD)..................................................................................................9
Characteristics...................................................................................................................................9
Biological Approach to Explaining OCD..............................................................................................9
Genetic Explanation.......................................................................................................................9
Neural Explanation.......................................................................................................................10
The Biological Approach to Treating OCD........................................................................................10
Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs)...................................................................................10
Depression...........................................................................................................................................11
Characteristics.................................................................................................................................11
The Cognitive Approach to Explaining Depression...........................................................................12
Beck’s Cognitive Theory...............................................................................................................12
Found positive correlation between increased cognitive vulnerability and increased likelihood of
acquiring depression after birth..........................................................................................................13
, Supports the link between faulty cognition and depression, which supports predictions made by
Beck’s cognitive theory, thus increasing validity of theory..................................................................13
An increased understanding of the cognitive basis of depression translates to more effective
treatments...........................................................................................................................................13
Ellis’s ABC Model..........................................................................................................................13
Many suffer from depression without an apparent cause and may feel frustrated that their
concerns/experiences are not reflected in this theory........................................................................13
Therefore, this suggests that the ABC model is limited at best...........................................................13
Provides a practical application in CBT................................................................................................13
The effectiveness of CBT suggests that identifying and challenging irrational beliefs are at core of
‘curing’ depression..............................................................................................................................13
Supports theoretical basis of ABC model, through specific focus on the role of faulty cognitions in
development of depression and in interpretation of activating events...............................................13
Cannot explain all aspects of depression, Beck and Ellis......................................................................13
E.g., hallucinations, anger, Cotard Syndrome.....................................................................................13
This poses a particularly difficult practical issue in that patients may become frustrated that their
symptoms cannot be explained according to this theory and therefore cannot be addressed in
therapy................................................................................................................................................13
The Cognitive Approach to Treating Depression..............................................................................14
Beck’s CBT....................................................................................................................................14
Ellis’ REBT.....................................................................................................................................14
March followed a group of 327 adolescents with a main diagnosis of depression..............................14
After 36 weeks - 81%, 81% and 86% were the respective improvement rates for each of the three
experimental conditions (CBT, antidepressants, CBT+ antidepressants).............................................14
Therefore, this is compelling evidence for the idea that antidepressants are effective in treating
depression and are based on accurate biological explanations of depression i.e. linked to the role of
serotonin and noradrenaline in the development of depression........................................................15
CBT may not be an appropriate treatment for all cases of depression, and particularly the most
severe cases.........................................................................................................................................15
This idea could also have been reflected in the evidence provided by March et al, where a
combination of CBT and antidepressants is the most effective combination......................................15
This is because those with severe depression may not be able to attend the regular CBT sessions, due
to a lack of motivation/ an inability to get out of bed in the morning, and may feel completely
hopeless i.e. that they are beyond help...............................................................................................15
This means that CBT cannot be used to address all cases of depression, and arguably is not suitable
for cases which need help the most!...................................................................................................15
Focus of the cognitive approach is on present life only and challenges which life presents.).............15
Assumed that patient’s current circumstances are responsible for depression..................................15
However, a considerable number of patients may be aware of specific past events which may be
responsible for depression, such as a traumatic life event or death of a loved one............................15
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