Unit 5.2 - Treatment of Psychological Disorders

Psychotherapy

treatment involving psychological techniques

Evidence-based practice (STAR)

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

Cultural humility (STAR)

focusing on self-reflection and personal critique, acknowledging one’s own biases

Ethical guidelines for THERAPY

• Nonmaleficence

• Fidelity

• Integrity

• Respect for rights and dignity

Individual therapy

joint process between a therapist and a person in therapy

• 1 on 1

Psychodynamic

modernized Freudian therapeutic techniques and belief that psychological problems are the result of unresolved, unconscious conflicts

Freudian slips

thoughts released by the unconscious that one did not consciously choose to say

Dream interpretation (STAR)

analysis notes dream meanings

Free association

Patient talks freely and openly, discusses whatever comes to their mind

Cognitive therapy

teaches people new, more adaptive ways of thinking and acting

Cognitive triad

negative thoughts about yourself, the world, and the future

Cognitive restructuring (STAR)

help client identify their self- defeating beliefs or cognitive distortions, refute them, and then modify them so that they are adaptive and reasonable

Applied behavior analysis (STAR)

applying principles of conditioning to address mental disorders and developmental disabilities

Exposure therapies

gradually exposed to the things, situations and activities you fear

Systematic desensitization (STAR)

associates a pleasant, relaxed state with gradually increasing anxiety-triggering stimuli

Fear hierarchy

list of scenarios that the client rates from least-distressing to most-distressing

• Slowly move through each scenario until client can be calm/comfortable

Biofeedback

uses principles of conditioning to help clients regulate their body systems that contribute to feelings of anxiety or depression

Aversion Therapy

aims to reduce or eliminate undesirable behaviors by paring them with unpleasant stimuli

ex: putting on a nail polish to stop biting your nails

Token economy

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

ex: golden tickets in Delta Kelly

Cognitive-behavioral therapy

combines cognitive therapy and behavior therapy

Rotational Emotive therapy (STAR)

based on the concept that an individual’s self-defeating beliefs influence and cause negative feelings and undesirable behaviors

Dialectical behavior therapy (STAR)

flexible, stage-based therapy that combines principles of behavior therapy, cognitive behavior therapy, and mindfulness

Humanistic therapy

emphasis on people’s inherent potential for self-fulfillment

Person-centered therapy (STAR)

therapist uses techniques within a genuine, accepting, empathetic, environment to facilitate client’s growth

Unconditional positive regard

therapist accepts and treats the client as a valued person, no matter what the client states

Active listening

empathetic listening in which the listener echoes, restates, and clarifies

Group therapy

involves one or more therapists working together with a small group of clients

Hypnosis

the state in which suggestion is used to evoke changes in sensation, perception, cognition, emotion, or control over motor behavior

Hypnotherapy (STAR)

use of hypnosis in psychological treatment

Biomedical therapy

Brain is responsible for psychological disorders → fixing the brain, fixing the unwanted feelings and behaviors

ex: prescription drugs

Psychoactive medications

drugs that alter brain function and affect mood, behavior, and cognition

Tardive dyskinesia (STAR)

involuntary muscle tremors because of low levels of dopamine, typically due to antipsychotic medications

Psychosurgery

any surgical procedure that destroys or alters tissue in the brain to treat psych. disorders

Lobotomies

a now-rare form of psychosurgery once used to try and calm uncontrollably emotional or violent patients

Lesioning

intentionally damaging or removing specific areas of the brain

Transcranial magnetic stimulation (STAR)

non-invasive, localized electrical stimulation of the brain caused by changes in the magnetic field in could of wire placed around the head

Electroconvulsive therapy (STAR)

Brief electrical current is sent to the brain to speed up activity

Stephen Ilardi

theorizes that if we change our lifestyles, our mentalities can improve/prevent mental illness

Resilience

idea that adapting to adversity can help us cope with or prevent mental illness

ex: post-traumatic growth