3 Therapy and Treatment

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Questions and Answers

What is the term for recovery without formal treatment?

Spontaneous recovery

Self-healing

Spontaneous remission (correct)

Natural healing

What is the purpose of meta-analysis in psychotherapy research?

To identify the most effective therapist

To evaluate the cost-effectiveness of therapy

To statistically combine data from multiple studies (correct)

To compare the effectiveness of different therapies

What is a common element shared by most psychotherapies?

Confrontation of negative emotions

Use of medication

Development of a negative relationship with the therapist

Development of a positive relationship with the therapist (correct)

What is the name of the procedure that involves administering an electric current to the brain to treat severe depression?

Electroconvulsive therapy Signup and view all the answers

What is the goal of community psychology?

To prevent or minimize the incidence of psychological disorders Signup and view all the answers

What is an important factor to consider when choosing a therapist?

Feeling comfortable with the therapist Signup and view all the answers

What is the goal of person-centered therapy?

To reach one's potential for self-actualization Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary focus of cognitive-behavioral approach?

Changing the way people think Signup and view all the answers

What is the main goal of systematic desensitization?

To extinguish the response of anxiety Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary focus of interpersonal therapy?

Helping patients to control their moods and emotions Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary goal of behavioral approach?

To eliminate anxiety disorders Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary benefit of cognitive approach?

Deals with a broad range of disorders Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary goal of flooding treatments?

To suddenly confront a person with a stimulus that they fear Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary goal of self-help therapy?

To help people with similar problems discuss their shared feelings and experiences Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary benefit of humanistic therapy?

The idea that psychological disorders result from restricted growth potential is compelling Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary goal of contingency contracting?

To draw an agreement stating the behavioral goals the client hopes to achieve Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary goal of psychoanalytic therapy?

To release hidden unconscious thoughts and feelings in order to reduce their power in controlling behavior Signup and view all the answers

What is the term for the process of pushing threatening and unpleasant thoughts and impulses back into the unconscious?

Repression Signup and view all the answers

What is the term for the inability or unwillingness to reveal particular memories, thoughts, or motivations?

Resistance Signup and view all the answers

What is the term for the transfer of feelings to a psychoanalyst that had been originally directed to a patient’s parents or other authority figures?

Transference Signup and view all the answers

What is the term for the surface description of a dream?

Manifest content Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary goal of behavioral approach therapy?

To change people's behavior to allow them to function more effectively Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following therapies is based on the assumption that both abnormal and normal behavior are learned?

Behavioral approach Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary objective of free association in psychoanalytic therapy?

To release hidden unconscious thoughts and feelings Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary criticism of psychoanalytic therapy?

It is too expensive and time-consuming Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary difference between classical conditioning treatment and psychoanalytic therapy?

The use of reinforcement and extinction Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary goal of contemporary psychoanalysis?

To focus on current relationships and specific complaints Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary reason for resistance in psychoanalytic therapy?

The client may be unwilling to reveal certain memories or thoughts Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary difference between psychotherapy and biomedical therapies?

Psychotherapy focuses on the mind, while biomedical therapies focus on the brain Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary criticism of biomedical therapies?

They only provide relief of symptoms, not solving the underlying problems Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary goal of deinstitutionalization?

To transfer patients from institutions to the community Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary benefit of feeling comfortable with your therapist?

It increases the effectiveness of therapy Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary difference between transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) and electroconvulsive therapy (ECT)?

TMS is less invasive than ECT Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary benefit of psychotherapy?

It is effective for most people, but not for everyone Signup and view all the answers

Which therapy approach focuses on the way people think and aims to change their behavior by challenging their dysfunctional beliefs?

Cognitive Approach Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary goal of systematic desensitization?

To extinguish the response of anxiety Signup and view all the answers

Which type of therapy is highly structured and focuses on concrete problems?

Cognitive Approach Signup and view all the answers

What is the term for expressing acceptance and understanding, regardless of the feelings and attitudes the client expresses?

Unconditional positive regard Signup and view all the answers

Which type of therapy involves people meeting in a group with a therapist to discuss problems?

Group Therapies Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary benefit of token system?

Rewards a person for desired behavior with a token Signup and view all the answers

Which therapy focuses on the context of current social relationships and helps patients to control their moods and emotions?

Interpersonal Therapy Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary goal of rational-emotive behavior therapy?

To restructure a person’s belief system into a more realistic, rational, and logical set of views Signup and view all the answers

Which therapy approach emphasizes people’s control over their behavior and encourages them to take responsibility for solving their own problems?

Humanistic Therapy Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary goal of Beck’s Cognitive behavior therapy?

To change people’s illogical thoughts about themselves and the world Signup and view all the answers

What is the main goal of psychotherapy?

To help a person overcome psychological difficulties and disorders Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary characteristic of the Behavioral Approach?

It makes use of the basic processes of learning, such as reinforcement and extinction Signup and view all the answers

What is the term for the underlying meaning of a dream?

Latent content Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary emphasis of contemporary psychoanalysis?

Current relationships and specific complaints Signup and view all the answers

What is the term for the inability or unwillingness to reveal particular memories, thoughts, or motivations?

Resistance Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary goal of community psychology?

To prevent or minimize the incidence of psychological disorders Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary difference between transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) and electroconvulsive therapy (ECT)?

TMS is a non-invasive procedure, while ECT is an invasive procedure Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary criticism of biomedical therapies?

They only provide relief of symptoms, not solving the underlying problems Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary factor to consider when choosing a therapist?

Their credentials and training Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary goal of psychosurgery?

To reduce symptoms of mental disorders Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary goal of behavioral approach therapy?

To extinguish the response of anxiety Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary focus of cognitive-behavioral approach?

Changing people's illogical thoughts Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary goal of humanistic therapy?

To help people reach self-actualization Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary focus of interpersonal therapy?

Controlling moods and emotions Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary benefit of group therapies?

It is an economical means of therapy Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Psychotherapy

Psychotherapy is a treatment that uses psychological techniques to help individuals overcome psychological difficulties, disorders, and problems in living, or to bring about personal growth.
There are two main types of psychotherapy: psychotherapy and biomedical therapy, which relies on drugs and other medical procedures to improve psychological functioning.

Psychoanalytic Approach

The psychoanalytic approach seeks to bring unresolved past conflicts and unacceptable impulses from the unconscious into the conscious.
Based on Freud's psychoanalytic approach to personality, it suggests that people use defense mechanisms such as repression, which pushes threatening and unpleasant thoughts and impulses back into the unconscious.
The goal is to release hidden unconscious thoughts and feelings to reduce their power in controlling behavior.
Techniques used include free association, dream interpretation, and analysis of resistance and transference.
Resistance is the inability or unwillingness to reveal particular memories, thoughts, or motivations, and transference is the transfer of feelings to the psychoanalyst.

Psychoanalytic Approach Criticisms

Criticisms include the treatment being time-consuming and expensive, with less articulate patients not doing as well as more articulate ones.
Difficulty in determining the effectiveness of the therapy, bias, and subjective interpretation are also criticisms.

Behavioral Approach

The behavioral approach uses the basic processes of learning, such as reinforcement and extinction, to reduce or eliminate maladaptive behavior.
The goal is to change people's behavior to allow them to function more effectively.
Techniques used include classical conditioning, aversive conditioning, systematic desensitization, flooding, and token economy.

Behavioral Approach Criticisms

Criticisms include the lack of insight into thoughts and expectations due to the focus on changing external behavior.

Cognitive Approach

The cognitive approach teaches people to think in more adaptive ways by changing their dysfunctional cognitions about the world and themselves.
Techniques used include rational-emotive behavior therapy, Beck's cognitive behavior therapy, and cognitive appraisal.
The goal is to change people's thoughts and behaviors.

Cognitive Approach Criticisms

Criticisms include the potential lack of effectiveness in changing one's assumptions to make them more reasonable and logical.

Humanistic Therapy

Humanistic therapy focuses on the idea that people have control of their behavior, can make choices about their lives, and are responsible for solving their own problems.
Techniques used include person-centered therapy, unconditional positive regard, and understanding client's emotional experiences.
The goal is to help people reach their potential for self-actualization.

Humanistic Therapy Criticisms

Criticisms include the lack of specificity in the treatment, being the least scientifically and theoretically developed, and only working for highly verbal clients.

Interpersonal Therapy (IPT)

IPT is a short-term therapy that focuses on the context of current social relationships.
It helps patients control their moods and emotions, and focuses on interpersonal issues such as conflicts with others, social skills, role transitions, or grief.
The treatment lasts for 12-16 weeks and is especially effective in dealing with depression, anxiety, addictions, and eating disorders.

Group Therapies

Group therapies involve people meeting in a group with a therapist to discuss problems, centering on a common difficulty.
Examples include family therapy, which focuses on the family and its dynamics, and self-help therapy, which does not involve a professional therapist.

Evaluating Psychotherapy

Hans Eysenck published a study challenging the effectiveness of therapy, citing spontaneous remission as a possible explanation.
Meta-analysis showed that data from a large number of studies yielded similar general conclusions.
Effectiveness of psychotherapy depends on the specific type of treatment, and most therapies share basic elements such as developing a positive relationship, explaining symptoms, and confronting negative emotions.

Biomedical Therapies

Biomedical therapies include drug therapy, electroconvulsive therapy (ECT), transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS), and psychosurgery.
These therapies work by altering the operation of neurotransmitters and neurons in the brain.
Critics argue that these therapies merely provide relief of symptoms and do not solve the underlying problems.

Community Psychology

Community psychology focuses on prevention, aiming to prevent or minimize the incidence of psychological disorders.
Deinstitutionalization, or the transfer of former mental patients out of institutions and into the community, is an important aspect of community psychology.

Choosing the Right Therapist

It is essential to feel comfortable with the therapist, who should have appropriate training and credentials.
Progress should be made after therapy has begun, despite occasional setbacks.### Psychotherapy
Definition: Treatment in which a trained professional, called a therapist, uses psychological techniques to help a person overcome psychological difficulties and disorders, resolve problems in living, or bring about personal growth.
Types of psychotherapy:
- Biomedical therapy: Relies on drugs and other medical procedures to improve psychological functioning.

Psychoanalytic Approach

Seeks to bring unresolved past conflicts and unacceptable impulses from the unconscious into the conscious.
Based on Freud's psychoanalytic approach to personality.
Suggests that people use defense mechanisms, such as repression, which pushes threatening and unpleasant thoughts and impulses back into the unconscious.
Goal: Release hidden unconscious thoughts and feelings to reduce their power in controlling behavior.
Techniques:
- Free association: Saying whatever comes to mind regardless of apparent irrelevance or senselessness.
- Dream interpretation: Manifest content (surface description) and latent content (underlying meaning).
Criticisms:
- Time-consuming and expensive.
- Less articulate patients may not do as well as more articulate ones.
- Difficulty in determining effectiveness of the therapy.
- Bias and subjective interpretation.

Behavioral Approach

Approaches that make use of the basic processes of learning, such as reinforcement and extinction, to reduce or eliminate maladaptive behavior.
Based on the fundamental assumption that both abnormal behavior and normal behavior are learned.
Goal: Change people's behavior to allow them to function more effectively.
Techniques:
- Classical conditioning treatment:
  - Aversive conditioning: Reduces the frequency of undesired behavior by pairing with an aversive stimulus.
  - Systematic desensitization: Exposure to an anxiety-producing stimulus is paired with deep relaxation to extinguish the response of anxiety.
- Token system: Rewards a person for desired behavior with a token.
- Contingency contracting: Agreement is drawn stating the behavioral goals the client hopes to achieve.
- Observational learning: Behavior of other people is modeled to systematically teach people new skills.
Criticisms:
- Insight into thoughts and expectations cannot be gained due to the changing external behavior.

Cognitive Approach

Cognitive treatment approaches: Teach people to think in more adaptive ways by changing their dysfunctional cognitions about the world and themselves.
Also known as cognitive-behavioral approach because methods of learning are often used.
Goal: Change the way people think as well as their behavior.
Techniques:
- Rational-emotive behavior therapy: Attempts to restructure a person's belief system into a more realistic, rational, and logical set of views by challenging dysfunctional beliefs.
- Beck's Cognitive behavior therapy: Aims to change people's illogical thoughts about themselves and the world.
Criticisms:
- Changing one's assumptions to make them more reasonable and logical may not always be helpful.

Humanistic Therapy

Therapy in which the underlying rationale is that people have control of their behavior, can make choices about their lives, and are essentially responsible for solving their own problems.
Goal: Reach one's potential for self-actualization.
Techniques:
- Person-centered therapy: Goal is to reach one's potential for self-actualization.
- Unconditional positive regard: Expressing acceptance and understanding, regardless of the feelings and attitudes the client expresses.
Criticisms:
- Treatments lack specificity.
- Least scientifically and theoretically developed.
- Works only for highly verbal clients who profit most from psychoanalytic treatment.

Interpersonal Therapy (IPT)

Short-term therapy that focuses on the context of current social relationships.
Helps patients to control their moods and emotions.
Focuses on interpersonal issues such as conflicts with others, social skills issues, role transitions, or grief.
Lasts only for 12-16 weeks.
Especially effective in dealing with depression, anxiety, addictions, and eating disorders.

Group Therapies

Therapy in which people meet in a group with a therapist to discuss problems.
Centers on a common difficulty.
Example: Alcoholism.
Economical means of therapy compared to individual therapy.
Criticism: Shy and withdrawn individuals may not receive required attention.
Types of group therapies:
- Family therapy: Focuses on the family and its dynamics.
- Self-help therapy: Does not involve a professional therapist. People with similar problems get together to discuss their shared feelings and experiences.

Evaluating Psychotherapy

Hans Eysenck published a study challenging the effectiveness of therapy.
Spontaneous remission: Recovery without formal treatment.
Meta-analysis: Data from a large number of studies when statistically combined, yielded similar general conclusions.
Effectiveness of psychotherapy:
- For most people, it is effective.
- No single form of therapy works best for every problem.
- Psychotherapy does not work for everyone.
- Specific types of treatment are better for specific types of problems.
- Most therapies share several basic similar elements.

Biomedical Therapies

Treatment of psychological disorders through the use of drugs.
Works by altering the operation of neurotransmitters and neurons in the brain.
Types of biomedical therapies:
- Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT): Procedure used in the treatment of severe depression.
- Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS): Alternative to ECT.
- Psychosurgery: Brain surgery once used to reduce the symptoms of mental disorder, but rarely used today.
- Gene therapy: Specific genes may be introduced to particular areas of the brain.

Community Psychology

Focus on prevention: Prevent or minimize the incidence of psychological disorders.
Deinstitutionalization: Transfer of former mental patients out of institutions and into the community.

Choosing the Right Therapist

You should feel comfortable with your therapist.
Therapists should have appropriate training and credentials.
You should feel that you are making progress after therapy has begun, despite occasional setbacks.

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Description

Test your knowledge of psychotherapy, biomedical therapy, and psychoanalytic approach in psychology. Learn about the different techniques used to help individuals overcome psychological difficulties and disorders.