treatments of dysfunctional behaviour biological / medical behaviouralcognitive

Treatments of Dysfunctional Treatments of Dysfunctional BehaviourBehaviour

Biological / medicalBiological / medical

BehaviouralBehavioural

CognitiveCognitive

The biological /medical approachThe biological /medical approach

The medical approach has several The medical approach has several interventions in mental health including interventions in mental health including ECT electro convulsive therapy, surgery ECT electro convulsive therapy, surgery and most commonly use of drugs.and most commonly use of drugs.

Karp and Frank1995 studied the effects of Karp and Frank1995 studied the effects of drug therapy on depression compared to drug therapy on depression compared to non medical interventions.non medical interventions.

Karp and Frank 1995Karp and Frank 1995

They reviewed research on depression in They reviewed research on depression in women.women.

Some patients had drug treatments, others had Some patients had drug treatments, others had one psychological treatment, others combined one psychological treatment, others combined treatments and other placebo treatment.treatments and other placebo treatment.

Depression was measured using depression Depression was measured using depression inventories (psychometric tests) both before, inventories (psychometric tests) both before, after and sometimes during the treatmentsafter and sometimes during the treatments


Findings:Findings: Many studies found that adding psychological Many studies found that adding psychological

treatments to the drug therapy did not increase treatments to the drug therapy did not increase the effectiveness of the drug therapy.the effectiveness of the drug therapy.

Occasionally studies did show less attrition Occasionally studies did show less attrition when combined therapies were used (people when combined therapies were used (people were more likely to continue with treatment if were more likely to continue with treatment if cognitive therapy was given with drug therapy).cognitive therapy was given with drug therapy).


Conclusions:Conclusions: The evidence is that there is no improved The evidence is that there is no improved

effect when given combined therapy as effect when given combined therapy as compared to only drug therapy.compared to only drug therapy.

Drug therapy is an effective way to treat Drug therapy is an effective way to treat depression.depression.

Behavioural treatmentsBehavioural treatments McGrath 1990 effective McGrath 1990 effective

treatment for noise phobia treatment for noise phobia (you need to be able to explain (you need to be able to explain classical conditioning theory if classical conditioning theory if this is a question in an exam)this is a question in an exam)

A case study of the treatment A case study of the treatment of a 9 year old girl who had a of a 9 year old girl who had a fear of sudden noises fear of sudden noises including poppers, fireworks, including poppers, fireworks, balloons etc. She had a lower balloons etc. She had a lower than overage IQ but was not than overage IQ but was not depressed, anxious and fearful depressed, anxious and fearful on psychometric tests so only on psychometric tests so only had one specific phobia.had one specific phobia.

McGrath and noise phobiaMcGrath and noise phobia

Lucy was brought to therapy sessions and Lucy was brought to therapy sessions and at first heard a hierarchy of noises ranging at first heard a hierarchy of noises ranging from doors banging to balloons and from doors banging to balloons and unexpected party poppers.unexpected party poppers.

Lucy was taught breathing and imagery to Lucy was taught breathing and imagery to relax and was told to imagine herself at relax and was told to imagine herself at home on her bed with her toys. She also home on her bed with her toys. She also had a pretend fear thermometer to rate her had a pretend fear thermometer to rate her level of fear from 1 – 10.level of fear from 1 – 10.

McGrath and noise phobiaMcGrath and noise phobia

She was given a stimulus of noise and told to She was given a stimulus of noise and told to pair the stimulus with her relaxation and deep pair the stimulus with her relaxation and deep breathing and imaging being at home with her breathing and imaging being at home with her toys. After 4 sessions she learned to feel calm toys. After 4 sessions she learned to feel calm when the noise was presented.when the noise was presented.

Findings: at the end of the first session Lucy Findings: at the end of the first session Lucy cried and had to be taken out when a balloon cried and had to be taken out when a balloon popped. At the end of the session Lucy was able popped. At the end of the session Lucy was able to pop the balloon herself. This progess to pop the balloon herself. This progess continued with party poppers and guns etc.continued with party poppers and guns etc.

McGrath and noise phobiaMcGrath and noise phobia By the 10By the 10thth session Lucy’s fear thermometer had session Lucy’s fear thermometer had

gone from 7/10 to 3/10 for balloons popping.gone from 7/10 to 3/10 for balloons popping. The researcher concluded that noise phobias in The researcher concluded that noise phobias in

children as susceptible to systematic children as susceptible to systematic desensitisation. Important factors seems to be desensitisation. Important factors seems to be giving Lucy control over the fear response to say giving Lucy control over the fear response to say when and how the noises were made and then when and how the noises were made and then to use inhibitors of the fear response such as to use inhibitors of the fear response such as relaxation and a playful environment.relaxation and a playful environment.

YouTube - Beating Phobias and Anxiety - Graded Exposure/ Systematic Desensitization

Beck and cognitive therapy and Beck and cognitive therapy and depressiondepression

Beck aimed to compared drug therapy Beck aimed to compared drug therapy with cognitive therapy and depression.with cognitive therapy and depression.

Independent design experiment with Independent design experiment with participants randomly allocated to one of participants randomly allocated to one of two conditions, cognitive or drug therapy.two conditions, cognitive or drug therapy.

44 patients diagnosed with moderate to 44 patients diagnosed with moderate to severe depression were assessed using severe depression were assessed using Beck’s Depression Inventory and two Beck’s Depression Inventory and two other rating scales.other rating scales.


For 12 weeks patients wither had 1 hour For 12 weeks patients wither had 1 hour cognitive therapy sessions twice a week or 100 cognitive therapy sessions twice a week or 100 Imipramine capsules. The therapy session were Imipramine capsules. The therapy session were prescribed and controlled and observed to prescribed and controlled and observed to ensure reliability.ensure reliability.

Findings: both groups show a decrease in Findings: both groups show a decrease in depression on all three scales. However the depression on all three scales. However the cognitive therapy group showed a significantly cognitive therapy group showed a significantly greater reduction in symptoms than the drug greater reduction in symptoms than the drug alone group.alone group.


The drop out rate was 5% in the cognitive The drop out rate was 5% in the cognitive therapy group and 32% in the drug therapy group and 32% in the drug therapy group.therapy group.

Conclusions: cognitive therapy leads to Conclusions: cognitive therapy leads to better treatment of depression than drug better treatment of depression than drug therapy and also better adherence to the therapy and also better adherence to the programme. programme.

YouTube - Cognitive Therapy: The Case of Tim

Exam questionExam question

Outline one way in which dysfunctional Outline one way in which dysfunctional behaviour can be treated. (10)behaviour can be treated. (10)

Evaluate treatments of dysfunctional Evaluate treatments of dysfunctional behaviour (15)behaviour (15)

Next Section of the Paper

The last section of the paper asks you to choose one disorder (phobia (anxiety), schizophrenia (psychotic) or depression (affective) and understand that one disorder in some depth.

For your chosen disorder you should know 3 explanations and 3 treatments.

The question would then be: Outline characteristics, explanations or treatments of one

disorder (10) Evaluate explanations or treatments of your chosen

disorder (15)

treatments of dysfunctional behaviour biological / medical behaviouralcognitive

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