paper practice of mood and schizophrenia.pptx

group activity for learners to practice exam questions

1. Paper practice Schizophrenia & Mood disorder

2. Group 1 Explain one similarity and one difference between drug treatments for depression and cognitive restructuring treatment for depression (Beck, 1979). /4 Evaluate the treatment and management of depression, including a discussion of ethics. /4 Explain one similarity and one difference between cognitive and genetic explanations of schizophrenia. /4

3. Group 2 The Beck depression inventory (BDI) includes 21 items, all of which are assessed on a four-point scale. One of the items is ‘irritation’, as shown below. 0 I am no more irritated by things than I ever was. 1 I am slightly more irritated now than usual. 2 I am quite annoyed or irritated a good deal of the time. 3 I feel irritated all the time. (a) State two items from the BDI, other than ‘irritation’. [2] (b) Explain the theory on which the BDI is based. [4] (c) (i) Suggest how the reliability of the BDI could be assessed. [2] (ii) Suggest how the validity of the BDI could be assessed. [2] (d) Discuss the strengths and weaknesses of using self-report questionnaires to measure depression. You should include a conclusion in your answer. /4

4. Group 3 Newspaper headline: Treatment for schizophrenia is successful. Sensky et al. (2000) conducted a longitudinal study and found that cognitive-behavioural therapy was effective. It treated both negative and positive symptoms in patients that were resistant to drug treatments for schizophrenia. (a) Explain what is meant by the term ‘baseline’ when gathering data. [2] (b) Suggest two weaknesses of the longitudinal method in the study by Sensky et al. (2000). [4] (c) A randomised controlled design was used by Sensky et al. (i) Identify the two therapies that this design compared. [2] (ii) Suggest why a randomised controlled design was used. [2] (d) Discuss the strengths and weaknesses of cognitive-behavioural therapy as an alternative to drug treatments for schizophrenia. You should include a conclusion in your answer. [5]

5. Group 4 Three comments about electro-convulsive therapy (ECT): ‘It was the best thing that my wife could have had at that time; a good decision by the doctors after drugs had failed.’ ‘It was a positive experience; worked well for my schizophrenia.’ ‘I was able to go home after five months of inpatient stay as a result of ECT, after years of unsuccessful psychological treatment.’ (a) Outline the procedure of electro-convulsive therapy (ECT). [2] (b) (i) Outline one biochemical treatment for schizophrenia. [2] (ii) Give one advantage of this biochemical treatment for schizophrenia. [2] (c) Outline two psychological treatments for schizophrenia. [4] (d) Discuss the strengths and weaknesses of ECT as a treatment for schizophrenia. You should include a conclusion in your answer. /4

6. Group 5 The ABC model of psychological change: • Activating event • Beliefs about the event • Consequences: emotional and behavioural responses. Ellis (1962) used this model in rational emotive behaviour therapy (REBT). The aim of REBT is to treat depression by changing a client’s thinking. (a) Explain why a depressed client’s thinking needs to be changed in order to treat their depression. [2] (b) (i) Outline one irrational belief that clients might have before starting REBT. [2] (ii) Outline how irrational beliefs are changed by REBT. [2] (c) Suggest one psychological treatment for depression, other than REBT. [4] (d) Discuss the strengths and weaknesses of psychological treatments for depression. You should include a conclusion in your answer

7. Explain one similarity and one difference between drug treatments for depression and cognitive restructuring treatment for depression Similarities could include – • Both require professional (doctor to prescribe and psychologist to ‘teach’ CBT) • Both have research support for their success. • Both take some time to be effective (usually 4 weeks for SSRI) Differences could include – • Individual needs to be motivated (and of certain personality type/insight) for cognitive treatment, whereas individual needs relatively little motivation to take drug. • Drugs have side effects including dizziness, nausea, insomnia, constipation. No side effects with cognitive treatment. • Patient more actively involved in cognitive restructuring but passive in drug therapy.

8. Evaluate the treatment and management of depression, including a discussion of ethics. A range of issues could be used for evaluation here. These include: • Named issue – Ethics – Candidates can consider both the ethics of the treatments (e.g. side effects, cost, etc.) or the ethics of the research that investigates the treatment and management of depression. For example, both the drug and ECT treatment have side effects that will be unpleasant for the patient whereas the therapies have no side effects but may be too costly for a patient to afford and therefore they are prevented from feeling better which is unethical. Or the ethics of research where the participants experience side effects or not and/or whether there is a placebo group who is not being given the treatment and therefore may not improve in terms of their depression and this is unethical. Many studies offer the placebo/control condition the opportunity to have the treatment at a later date which is more ethical. • Validity. • Application of psychology to everyday life (with reference to treatments). • Nature versus nurture debate with reference to the various treatments. • Comparisons of different treatments. • Reductionist/holistic nature of the treatments. • Deterministic nature of the treatments. • Appropriateness of treatments (e.g. cost, time, side-effects).• Research support for effectiveness of treatments.

9. Explain one similarity and one difference between cognitive and genetic explanations of schizophrenia Comparison will be for the cognitive explanation as outlined by Frith (1992) and the genetic explanation as outlined by Gottesman and Shields (1972). Similarities Both Gottesman and Frith believe that there is a biological basis for schizophrenia. Gottesman focusses on genetics and Frith also believes that genetics plays a part in the development of schizophrenia. Gottesman found a high concordance rate between MZ twins. Frith suggests that brain structure and biochemical processes also influence the development of the disorder. This shows that both explanations suggest a biological basis for the disorder. Both suggest nature is important in the development of schizophrenia – Gottesman suggests schizophrenia has a strong genetic cause and Frith suggests that schizophrenia cognitive difficulties are linked to genetics, brain structure and biochemical processes. Offer an individual explanation of schizophrenia. Gottesman suggests that one’s individual genetic make-up causes schizophrenia and not environmental factors. Frith suggests it is the person’s individual faulty mental processing (likely caused by biological factors) that lead to the development of the disorder and not environmental or social factors. Both explanations are backed up by experiments. Gottesman and Shields did many studies on twins and families to prove the genetic explanation of schizophrenia. Frith did a lab study where schizophrenic participants were unable to identify whether items that had been read aloud were done by a

10. computer, the experimenter or themselves which shows the attention difficulties patients with schizophrenia have. Differences Frith also brings in a cognitive explanation of why the symptoms occur which is not done by Gottesman and Shields. Gottesman and Shields focus on the genetic cause of the disorder. Frith adds to this explanation by explaining the symptoms of the disorder due to faulty mental processing. Genetic explanation is more reductionist than the cognitive explanation. Gottesman and Shields just focus on the genetic cause of the disorder and do not consider other biological processes or cognitive explanations. Frith considers both biological causes and how these could lead to cognitive deficits such as faulty mental processing.