Chapter 14 + 15

Psychotherapy

Psychotherapy

Treatment involving psychological techniques; consists of interactions between a trained therapist and someone seeking to overcome psychological difficulties or achieve personal growth (research shows that it is only somewhat effective, although clients’ testimonials are very positive)

Psychoanalytic Therapy

A form of psychotherapy that focuses on exploring deeper meanings behind a person’s words, behaviors, and meanings (commonly used for a wide range of disorders, including depression, anxiety, personality disorders); however, information may be blocked or inaccessible & therapists have different interpretations

Psychoanalysis (Freud)

A therapeutic approach that focuses on releasing the client’s previously repressed feelings through free association, resistance, dream analysis, and transference (and the therapist’s interpretations of the manifest & latent content) to gain self-insight

Interpretation

In psychoanalysis, the therapist’s analysis and explanation of the client’s supposed dream meanings, resistances, and other significant behaviors and events in order to promote insight

Resistance

In psychoanalysis, the unconscious defense mechanisms used by the client to avoid anxious thoughts by blocking them from consciousness

Transference

In psychoanalysis, a client’s redirection of feelings and attitudes from one relationship (such as love/hatred for a parent) onto the therapist

Psychodynamic Therapy

A form of psychotherapy deriving from the psychoanalytic principle that views individuals as responding to unconscious forces and childhood experiences, and seeks to enhance self insight

Humanistic Therapy

A form of psychotherapy that focuses on an individual as a whole (thoughts, feelings, behaviors, experiences), emphasizing their capacity for self-awareness and self-growth by implementing self-actualization, empathy, authenticity, and unconditional positive regard (commonly used for depression, anxiety, schizophrenia)

Insight Therapy

A therapy which aims to improve psychological functioning by increasing the client’s awareness of underlying motives and defenses

People/Client-Centered Therapy (Carl Rogers)

A humanistic therapy in which the therapist uses techniques (such as active listening) while echoing and restating the client’s thoughts within an empathetic environment (using unconditional positive regard) to facilitate the client’s growth

Active Listening (Carl Rogers)

In client-centered therapy, empathic listening in which the listener echoes, restates, and clarifies

Unconditional Positive Regard (Carl Rogers)

A caring, accepting attitude with complete acceptance and support without judgment or evaluation, which is believed to encourage the development of self-awareness and self-acceptance

Behavior Therapy

A form of psychotherapy that applies learning principles to the elimination of unwanted behaviors to help clients unlearn unhealthy behaviors, develop new skills, and improve overall functioning (commonly used for speicfic problems, inclduing PTSD, anxiety, phobias, OCD, substance use, bad habits)

Counterconditioning

A behavior therapy procedure that uses classical conditioning to evoke new responses to stimuli that are triggering unwanted behaviors

Exposure Therapy

A type of counterconditioning that gradually exposes the individual (in imagination or actuality) to the feared object/situation in a safe and controlled environment

Virtual Reality Exposure Therapy (VRET)

A form of exposure therapy that progressively simulates exposure to feared situations/stimuli in a virtual environment (such as airplane flying, spiders, public speaking)

Systematic Desensitization

A form of exposure therapy that gradually exposes the individual to the feared situations/stimuli while pairing it with relaxation techniques (commonly used to treat phobias)

Aversive Conditioning

A type of counterconditioning that associates an unpleasant state (such as nausea) with an unwanted behavior (such as drinking alcohol)

Token Economy

An operant conditioning procedure in which people earn a token of some sort for exhibiting a desired behavior and can later exchange the tokens for various privileges or treat

Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing Therapy (EMDR)

A form of psychotherapy that involves guided recall of distressing memories while focusing on stimulation, such as eye movements, taps, and sounds (commonly used to treat PTSD)

Cognitive Therapy

A form of psychotherapy based on the assumption that thoughts intervene between events and our emotional reactions; teaches people new, more adaptive ways of thinking and acting (commonly used for treating depressed emotions, including depression, anxiety, phobias, PTSD)

Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (Aaron Beck)

A popular integrated form of psychotherapy that combines cognitive therapy (changing self-defeating thinking) with behavior therapy (changing behavior), based on the idea that thoughts, feelings, and behaviors are interconnected (commonly used for most disorders, including depression, anxiety, PTSD, OCD)

Rational Emotive Behavioral Therapy (Albert Ellis)

A form of cognitive-behavioral therapy focusing on changing irrational thoughts that lead to emotional distress and maladaptive behaviors

Group Therapy

Forms of psychotherapy that involve treating multiple individuals simultaneously by exploring thoughts, feelings, and behaviors to improve communication and receive support

Family Therapy

A form of psychotherapy that treats the family as a system and views an individual’s unwanted behaviors as influenced by, or directed at, other family members

Psychopharmacology

The study of how drugs affect the brain and behavior, which involves the use of medications to treat mental health disorders

Antipsychotic Drugs

Medications used to treat severe thought disorders (schizophrenia, bipolar disorder) by blocking dopamine receptors in the brain

Tardive Dyskinesia

Involuntary movement of the facial muscles, tongue, and limbs; a possible neurotoxic side effect of long-term use of antipsychotic drugs that target certain dopamine receptors

Antianxiety Drugs

Medications used to control anxiety and agitation by targeting neurotransmitters to promote relaxation

Antidepressants

Medications used to treat depression by balancing the levels of serotonin, norepinephrine, and dopamine; also increasingly prescribed for anxiety

Lithium

Medication used to treat bipolar disorder by stabilizing mood swings and reducing the severity of manic episodes (works in about 7 out of 10 clients)

Biomedical Therapy

A form of psychotherapy that involves prescribed medications or medical procedures that act directly on the patient’s nervous system

Electroconvulsive Therapy (ECT)

A biomedical therapy for severely depressed clients in which a brief electric current is sent through the brain of an anesthetized client

Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (rTMS)

The application of repeated pulses of magnetic energy to the brain, used to stimulate or suppress brain energy

Regression Toward the Mean

The tendency for unusual emotions to return toward their average state

Meta-Analysis

A procedure for statistically combining the results of many different research studies

Evidence-Based Practice

Clinical decision-making that integrates the best available research with clinical expertise and patient characteristics and preferences

Psychosurgery

Surgery that removes or destroys brain tissue in an effort to change behavior

Lobotomy

A now-rare psychosurgical procedure once used to calm uncontrollably emotional or violent patients; cuts the nerves connecting the frontal lobes to the emotion-controlling centers of the inner brain

Psychiatrist

A medical doctor who specializes in the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of mental health disorders by assessing the physical and psychological aspects; prescribe medication and provide psychotherapy (the main mental health providers before 1950)

Clinical Psychologists

A mental health professional (typically with a Ph.D or Psy.D) who specializes in research, assessment, and therapy, supplemented by a supervised internship and post-doctoral training; provide psychotherapy and psychological assessments

Counselor

A mental health professional who provides counseling, guidance, and support to individuals, couples, families, or groups experiencing various challenges in their lives; provide supportive therapy

Clinical Social Worker

A licensed mental health professional who specializes in providing psychotherapy and support services to individuals, families, and communities

Preventive Mental Health

Efforts to reduce the risk of mental health problems and promote psychological well-being before they occur, including education, skill-building, screening, creating supportive environments, and policy interventions; emphasizes the social context of psychological disorders

Stress Inoculation Training

A form of cognitive-behavior therapy in which people are trained to restructure their thinking in stressful situations

Abnormal Psychology (Psychological Disorders)

The study of harmful dysfunctional behavior, which is judged to be atypical, disturbing, maladaptive, and unjustifiable

Early Theories

Abnormal behavior involved evil spirits trying to escape from an afflicted individual, often leading to the use of exorcism as a remedy

Ancient Treatments

Cruel practices such as confining individuals like animals, physical beatings, burning, castration, mutilation, and attempting to replace their blood with animal blood

Medical Perspective (Moral Treatment)

Emerged in the 1800s, the concept that psychological disorders have physical causes that can be diagnosed, treated, and cured through therapy, which may include treatment in a psychiatric hospital (homosexuality was once classified as a mental illness)

Medical Model

Maintains credibility today, due to its recognition of genetically influenced abnormalities and contributions from biochemistry

Biopsychosocial Approach

Considers the combination of biological, psychological, and social factors as contributing to development of disorders

The D’s of Psychological Disorders

Common characteristics of disorders, including deviance (behavior that differs from social norms), dysfunction (impairment in functioning), distress (emotional or physical discomfort), danger (potential harm to oneself or others)

Psychoanalytic/Psychodynamic Perspective

Focuses on internal, unconscious drives

Humanistic Perspective

Focuses on the failure to strive to one’s potential or being out of touch with one’s feelings

Behavioral Perspective

Focuses on reinforcement history and the environment

Cognitive Perspective

Focuses on irrational, dysfunctional thoughts or ways of thinking

Sociocultural Perspective

Focuses on dysfunctional society influences

Biomedical/Neuroscience Perspective

Focuses on organic problems, biomedical imbalances, and genetic predispositions

Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV-TR)

A reference book that classifies disorders and describes their symptoms, providing diagnostic criteria and codes; guides medical diagnoses and determines eligibility for treatments, but does not explain causes or possible cures for disorders (medical model bias)

5 Axes of the DSM-IV

Used to provide a comprehensive understanding of an individual’s mental health; eliminated from DSM-V to help clarify relationships between different disorders

Axis V

Global assessment of functioning, which rates an individual’s level of functioning on a scale from 10 to 100; 10 indicating danger to self and others & 100 indicating superior functioning in a wide range of activities

Neurotic Disorders

A category of mental disorders characterized by distressing emotional symptoms, but can still function in society and act rationally

Psychotic Disorders

A category of mental disorders characterized by a loss of contact with reality, experiencing distorted perceptions, irrational behaviors, and impaired social functioning

People First Language

Referring to individuals with disabilities as people first, rather than defining them by their condition; labels can negatively affect perception and result in self-fulfilling prophecies; used in promoting effective treatment of psychological disorders

Anxiety Disorders

The most common group of mental health conditions in the US, characterized by excessive worry, fear, uncertainty, or maladaptive behaviors that reduce anxiety; the patient fears something awful will happen to them

Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD)

An anxiety disorder in which a person is continually tense, apprehensive, and in a state of autonomic nervous system arousal

Panic Disorder

An anxiety disorder marked by unpredictable minutes-long episodes of intense dread, in which a person experiences terror and accompanying chest pain, choking, or other frightening sensations

Phobic Disorder

An anxiety disorder marked by persistent, irrational fear and avoidance of a specific object, situation, or activity

Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD)

An anxiety disorder characterized by recurrent, intrusive thoughts or obsessions, often accompanied by repetitive behaviors or compulsions; unusually high activity in the anterior cingulate cortex (linked to serotonin)

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)

An anxiety disorder characterized by haunting memories, nightmares, social withdrawal, jumpy anxiety, and insomnia that lingers for 4+ weeks after a traumatic experience

Somatoform Disorder

A psychological disorder characterized by distressing bodily symptoms that cannot be fully explained by medical or physical causes, often manifested through psychological distress

Conversion Disorder

A rare somatoform disorder in which a person experiences neurological symptoms, such as paralysis, blindness, or seizures, that cannot be explained by a physiological or medical evaluation

Hypochondriasis (Illness Anxiety Disorder)

A somatoform disorder characterized by excessive fear about having a serious illness, in which a person interprets normal physical sensations as symptoms of a severe disease

Pain Disorder

A somatoform disorder characterized by persistent and severe pain that cannot be explained by medical or physical evaluation

Body Dysmorphic Disorder (BDD)

A somatoform disorder characterized by obsessive preoccupation with perceived flaws or defects in one’s appearance

Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)

A psychological disorder appearing by age, characterized by one or more of three key symptoms: extreme inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity

Post-Traumatic Growth

Positive psychological changes as a result of struggling with extremely challenging circumstances, life crises, or trauma

Dissociative Disorders

Disorders in which conscious awareness becomes separated from previous memories, thoughts, and feelings

Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID)

A dissociative disorder in which a person exhibits two or more distinct and alternating personalities that may take control of a person’s consciousness at different times (formerly called multiple personality disorder)

Dissociative Amnesia

A dissociative disorder in which a person is unable to remember essential details from their past, which occurs when certain information is blocked out due to trauma

Dissociative Fugue

A dissociative disorder in which a person temporarily loses their sense of personal identity and impulsively wander away from their homes

Mood Disorders

Psychological disorders characterized by emotional extremes or disturbances in mood; females are twice as likely as men to suffer from these due to hormonal shifts

Major Depressive Disorder

A mood disorder in which a person experiences, in the absence of drugs or a medical condition, 2+ weeks of significantly depressed moods, feelings of worthlessness, diminished interest in most activities, sleep disturbance, and inappropriate guilt

Mania

A mood disorder marked by a 1+ week period of an abnormally hyperactive, elevated, irritable, and wildly optimistic state (norepinephrine present in abundant amounts and serotonin)

Bipolar Disorder

A mood disorder in which a person alternates between extreme mood swings of mania (overexcited mood, increased energy) and depression (hopelessness, low energy); likely to develop through genetics

Schizophrenia

A group of severe disorders characterized by disorganized and delusional thinking (breakdown in selective attention), disturbed perceptions, and inappropriate emotions and actions; found in every culture (slower development/process = unlikely recovery)

Positive Symptoms

The addition of abnormal experiences or behaviors that are not normally present, which may include hallucination, delusions, incoherent thinking, and disorganized behavior

Delusions

False and irrational beliefs that may accompany psychotic disorders, often involving misconceptions about oneself, others, or the world; associated with increased dopamine

Negative Symptoms

The decrease or loss of normal functioning, which may include diminished emotional expression, reduced motivation, social withdrawal, and decreased speech output

Cognitive Symptoms

Difficulties with thinking, reasoning, memory, and other cognitive processes that impact functioning in daily life, such as problems with attention, concentration, memory, and processing speed

Personality Disorders

Psychological disorders characterized by inflexible and enduring behavior patterns that impair social functioning, often accompanied by depression

Antisocial Personality Disorder

A Cluster B personality disorder in which a person (usually a man) exhibits a lack of conscience for wrongdoing, even towards friends and family members; less autonomic system arousal

Cluster A Personality Disorders

A group of personality disorders characterized by eccentric behavior and distorted thinking patterns, including paranoia, suspicion, weird thinking, and social detachment

Cluster B Personality Disorders

A group of personality disorders characterized by dramatic and emotional behavior, including narcissism, impulsivity, emotional dysregulation, difficulty empathizing with others, and unstable relationships

Cluster C Personality Disorders

A group of personality disorders characterized by anxious and fearful behaviors, including excessive fear of rejection or abandonment, difficulty making decisions without reassurance, dependence, and control issues

Depression

A common mood disorder characterized by persistent feelings of sadness and hopelessness; symptoms include weight changes, sleep disturbances, fatigue, difficulty concentrating, thoughts of death (compared to males, nearly 2x as many females have been diagnosed); found in every culture (decreased norepinephrine, serotonin, and dopamine)

Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)

A type of depression that occurs at a specific time of the year, typically during fall and winter when daylight is shorter; believed to be related to changes in light exposure, which disrupts the body’s internal clock and neurotransmitters

Hallucinations

Sensory perceptions that occur without external stimuli

Positive Explanatory Style

A habitual pattern of explaining experiences in one’s life in an optimistic and empowering manner; tend to attribute positive outcomes to internal factors & negative outcomes to external factors

Negative Explanatory Style

A habitual pattern of explaining experiences in one’s life in a pessimistic and self-blaming manner; tend to attribute negative outcomes to internal factors