Chapter 2: Medical and Psychological Theories, Frames of Reference and Models of Mental Health and Mental Illness

Flashcards cover core theories, frames of reference, and models in OT mental health, including Psychoanalytic, Developmental, Behavioral, Cognitive-Behavioral, Humanistic, Neuroscience theories, as well as PsyR and cross-cultural concepts.

What are the three OT concepts (theory, frames of reference, and models) and their roles in mental health practice?

Theory provides principles explaining behavior; frames of reference guide how knowledge is used to help clients change; models synthesize theory into an organized approach based on science for understanding a client’s performance.

Psychoanalytic Theory: What are the basic components of the mind and what determines mental health and disorders?

The id, ego, and superego; mental health and disorders are influenced by our relations with objects in the environment; defense mechanisms operate unconsciously.

What is the Model of Object Relations in OT?

Clients express unconscious conflicts through symbols in arts, crafts, and daily activities; OTPs interpret these symbols to understand emotions and conflicts.

How are defense mechanisms used in Freud’s theory by OT professionals?

They help explain client behavior (often unconsciously); OT professionals speculate about why a client behaves as they do and tailor responses accordingly (refer to Table 2.1).

Developmental Theory: What is a developmental lag?

A discrepancy between a person’s behavior and what is expected for their age, often due to illness, poverty, malnutrition, trauma, or emotional/social deprivation.

What is Erickson’s contribution to Developmental Theory?

Eight Stages of Psychosocial Development (Table 2.4) outlining maturation across the lifespan.

Behavioral Theories: What is the central concept?

Behavior is learned; adaptive behaviors are rewarded and maladaptive behaviors are punished, guiding development toward more mature, responsible behavior.

In behavioral therapy, what is the action-consequence approach?

Changing a person’s behavior by altering the consequences of that behavior, including reinforcement schedules (continuous or intermittent) to shape desired outcomes.

What are Shaping and Chaining in behavioral therapy?

Shaping progresses toward a target behavior through small steps; chaining teaches a sequence of steps one at a time.

What is Systematic Desensitization?

A technique for reducing fear by gradually exposing the person to feared stimuli in a controlled manner.

Cognitive Behavioral Theoretical Continuum: what are its core ideas?

Behavior is influenced by thinking; maladaptive cognitions lead to maladaptive behaviors; interventions address both cognition and behavior, often with homework.

What is Automatic Thoughts in CBT?

Negative cognitions that occur automatically, often without recognition or challenge.

What do Cognitive Techniques aim to do in CBT?

Challenge and modify negative thoughts and underlying assumptions.

What is Self-Monitoring in CBT?

Clients notice and record negative cognitions and related events to understand frequency and the cognitive-behavioral chain.

What is Reattribution in CBT?

Challenge the belief that personal shortcomings are responsible for negative external events; particularly helpful for depression.

What is Cognitive Enhancement Therapy (CET)?

A neurodevelopmental approach to improving cognitive abilities, processing speed, and social cognition; evidence-based; integrates neuroplasticity principles and social skills; often implemented over ~12 months.

What is Client-Centered Humanistic Therapy?

Emphasizes the client’s capacity for self-directed growth; uses a nondirective approach and unconditional positive regard; fosters an empathetic, warm OTP–client relationship.

What interviewing techniques are used in Client-Centered Therapy?

Open-ended questions, minimal responses to encourage talking, reflection of feeling, paraphrasing, and withholding judgment.

What is the Neuroscience Theory approach in OT?

Uses knowledge of the nervous system to plan treatments; interventions may target brain function and neurochemistry, including pharmacotherapy, psychosurgery, and electroconvulsive therapy when brain deficits are implicated.

What are Lorna Jean King’s and others’ contributions to sensory approaches?

King's Sensory Integration approach using games and postural activities to influence sensorimotor functioning; Allen emphasized defining functional level precisely and modifying the environment; Dunn and Westman developed a sensory processing evaluation for adults/adolescents to guide environmental modifications.

What is Psychiatric Rehabilitation (PsyR)?

An OT-oriented model focused on present and future functioning, skill/resource development, and environmental adaptations; follows a 3-stage process: rehabilitation diagnosis, planning, and intervention.

What are the six dimensions of rehabilitation readiness (Box 2.1)?

Six dimensions are described in Box 2.1 (not enumerated in these notes).

Explanatory Models from Other Cultures: Why are distress concepts culturally varied?

Different cultures provide different explanations for emotional distress and abnormal behavior; Box 2.2 (page 51) gives three examples of cultural concepts of distress.

Where can you find examples of cultural concepts of distress in this chapter?

Box 2.2, page 51.