theoretical perspectives on abnormality: cognitive-behavioural and existential-humanistic lecture...
TRANSCRIPT
THEORETICAL PERSPECTIVES ON ABNORMALITY:
COGNITIVE-BEHAVIOURAL AND EXISTENTIAL-HUMANISTIC
LECTURE OUTLINE
• Behavioural theories
• Cognitive theories
• Cognitive-behavioural theories
• Existential-humanistic theories
BEHAVIOURAL THEORIES
Classical conditioning (Pavlov)
US UR
CS CR
Operant conditioning (Skinner)
SD behaviour Reinforcer
BEHAVIOURAL THEORIESOperant conditioning
Reinforcement – leads to an increase in the behaviour preceding the reinforcer
• positive
• negative
Punishment
• positive
• negative
BEHAVIOURAL THEORIES
• Classical conditioning – can play a role in a variety of anxiety disorders
• Operant conditioning – can play a role in numerous disorders
• Two-factor theory (Mowrer) – both classical and operant interact to maintain anxiety problems
• Modeling (Bandura) – can learn maladaptive or adaptive behaviours via observational learning
BEHAVIOURAL THEORIES
• Basic assumption of behavioural theories is that maladaptive behaviours are learned and can be unlearned, and that new, more adaptive behaviours can be learned
• Has been applied to a wide range of disorders and problems
BEHAVIOURAL THEORIES
Treatments based on classical conditioning
• systematic desensitization - Wolpe
• aversive conditioning
• exposure, flooding
BEHAVIOURAL THEORIES
Treatments based on operant conditioning
• behaviour shaping, coaching (teaching a new behaviour)
• token economy, contingency contracting, and other methods of positive reinforcement (used to strengthen adaptive behaviours)
• extinction and punishment (used to weaken maladaptive behaviours)
• stimulus control – used to cue adaptive behaviours
COGNITIVE THEORIES
• Basic assumption of cognitive theories is that maladaptive behaviour results from irrational or distorted ways of thinking – emphasis is on internal thought processes
• Like psychodynamic theories, cognitive theories have been employed mostly with people with anxiety and mood disorders
• Like behavioural theories, there is a strong research emphasis in cognitive theories
COGNITIVE THEORIES
Albert Ellis – psychological problems stem from irrational and catastrophic thinking
Examples of irrational beliefs
• I must be loved and approved of all the time
• Things must always go right
• I must be competent at everything
• Life should always treat me fairly
Rational-Emotive Therapy (RET) – therapist challenges client’s irrational belief
COGNITIVE THEORIES
Aaron Beck – psychological problems stem from distorted thinking based on underlying cognitive schemata
Cognitive schemata – ways of viewing self, world, past, future
Cognitive therapy - therapist challenges client’s distorted thinking through a process of checking beliefs against reality – evidence-gathering approach
COGNITIVE-BEHAVIOURAL THEORIES
Over the past 20 years, the cognitive and behavioural theories have become more inter-connected, emphasizing both behaviour and thinking
Bandura – social learning theory
• self-control
• self-efficacy
Cognitive-behavioural therapy is becoming the dominant paradigm in clinical psychology
AND COGNITIVE- BEHAVIOURAL TREATMENTS
• Problem-solving training – D’Zurilla & Goldfried
• Self-instructional training - Meichenbaum
Cognitive-behavioural therapy is becoming the dominant paradigm in clinical psychology
SUMMARY OF BEHAVIOURAL AND COGNITIVE THEORIES AND TREATMENTS
• emphasis on behaviour and cognitive processes
• more active, directive therapeutic approach than most psychodynamic approaches
• more research-oriented and results-oriented approach than most psychodynamic approaches
EXISTENTIAL-HUMANISTIC THEORIES
• Roots – German and French phenomenology, focus on experiencing and emotion
• Third force – as an alternative to psychodynamic and behavioural theories
• With the exception of Rogers, not as rooted in research as behavioural and cognitive theories
EXISTENTIAL-HUMANISTIC THEORIES Core concepts
• Freedom
• Phenomenology
• Self-actualization
• Being and authenticity
• Holism
• Willing and wishing – Rollo May
EXISTENTIAL-HUMANISTIC THEORIES Carl Rogers’ Theory of
Psychopathology
Lack of unconditional positive regard
Lack of unconditional positive self-regard (low self-esteem)
Incongruence between self and experience
Anxiety, defensiveness, distortion
EXISTENTIAL-HUMANISTIC THEORIES Carl Rogers’ Theory of Client-centered
Therapy
Therapist provides unconditional positive regard
Unconditional positive self-regard (self-acceptance or high self-esteem)
Congruence between self and experience
Authenticity, openness, psychological health
EXISTENTIAL-HUMANISTIC THEORIES Core qualities of therapist for client-
centered therapy
• Empathy
• Warmth (unconditional positive regard)
• Genuineness - authenticity
EXISTENTIAL-HUMANISTIC THEORIES Core qualities of therapist for client-
centered therapy
• quite a bit of research attesting to the importance of these therapist variables
• widespread application of these skills in psychology and counseling training programs – active listening skills
• some would argue that these skills are important for all types of therapy (compare with psychodynamic notion of working alliance)
EXISTENTIAL-HUMANISTIC THEORIES Other important existential-humanistic
theorists and therapists
• Maslow – self-actualization and need hierarchy
• Jourard – importance of self-disclosure for psychological health and for therapy
• existential – Rollo May, Viktor Frankl – logotherapy
• Fritz Perls – Gestalt therapy – emphasis on experience/emotion, empty chair technique