Unit 4 - Psychopathology, Psychology in Action and Research Methods
Summary
Summary Biological approach to treating OCD (psychopathology) with evaluation
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Course
Unit 4 - Psychopathology, Psychology in Action and Research Methods
Institution
AQA
Book
Psychology A Level Year 1 and AS: The Complete Companion Student Book for AQA
Biological approach to treating OCD content concise summary and evaluation paragraphs.
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Unit 4 - Psychopathology, Psychology in Action and Research Methods
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Psychopathology
Biological Approach to treating OCD:
Drug Therapy:
aim to restore neurochemical imbalances in the brain since this is assumed to be the
main cause of the disorder
neuro-transmitters are usually released from the pre-synaptic cell into the synapse
which are then absorbed by the post-synaptic cell.
drugs increase synaptic activity by causing more NT to be released, or prevent the re-
uptake of it in the pre-synaptic cell
Anti-depressants - SSRI:
selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor
prevents serotonin from being re-up-taken by the pre-synaptic cell by blocking the
transporter which re-absorbs it
this increases serotonins concentration in the synapse which can be absorbed by the
post-synaptic cell
Anti-anxiety - BZ
benzodiazepines
slows the CNS by enhancing the activity of GABA
GABA has a quietening effect on the neurons in the brain
Evaluation:
1. research support for effectiveness:
A positive of drug therapy as a treatment for OCD is that thee is research to support its
effectiveness. Soomro et al (2008) reviewed 17 studies with the use of SSRIs and found them
to be more effective than placebos in reducing symptoms in OCD.
2. easy to use:
Another positive of using drugs as a treatment for OCD is that it is easy to use and very cost-
effective for the economy. In contrast, CBT as a treatment requires considerable time and
effort as they tackle through symptoms and it is not cost-effective for the economy.
3. drug therapy produces side effects:
A negative of using drugs to treat OCD is that they produce many side effects like nausea,
headaches, and insomnia (Soomro et al 2008). These side effects can often cause patients to
stop taking drugs leading to high attrition rates. The side effects can also limit the usefulness
of drugs as a treatment for OCD. Drugs are also commonly known for not curing illnesses,
but treating the symptoms.
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