Ch 16 Meyers -- Therapy
lobotomy
a psychosurgical procedure once used to calm uncontrollably emotional or violent patients. The procedure cut the nerves connecting the frontal lobes to the emotion-controlling centers of the inner brain
aversive conditioning
a type of counterconditioning that ASSOCIATES an UNPLEASANT state (such as nausea) with an UNWANTED BEHAVIOR (such as drinking alcohol)
unconditional positive regard
according to Rogers, an attitude of TOTAL ACCEPTANCE toward another person and help clients DEVELOP self-awareness and self-acceptance.
virtual reality exposure therapy
an ANXIETY treatment that PROGRESSIVELY EXPOSES people to SIMULATIONS of their GREATEST fears, such as airplane FLYING, SPIDERS, or public speaking
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 treats
eclectic approach
an approach to psychotherapy that, depending on the client's problems, uses techniques from VARIOUS FORMS of therapy
Leadership
an individual's ability to motivate and influence others to contribute to their group's success.
structured interview
an interview in which a set of standardized questions having an established set of answers is used
antianxiety drugs
drugs used to control anxiety and agitation
antidepressant drugs
drugs used to treat depression, anxiety disorders, OCD, and PTSD
antipsychotic drugs
drugs used to treat schizophrenia and other forms of severe thought disorder
systematic desensitization
A type of EXPOSURE therapy that associates a pleasant RELAXED state with GRADUALLY INCREASING anxiety-triggering STIMULI. Commonly used to treat phobias.
Psychotherapy
treatment involving psychological techniques; consists of interactions between a TRAINED THERAPIST and someone seeking to overcome psychological difficulties or achieve personal growth
task leadership
goal-oriented leadership that sets standards, organizes work, and focuses attention on goals.
social leadership
group-oriented leadership that builds teamwork, mediates conflict, and offers support
interpretation
in PSYCHOANALYSIS, the analyst's noting supposed DREAM meanings, RESISTANCES, and other SIGNIFICANT behaviors and events in order to promote INSIGHT.
transference
in PSYCHOANALYSIS, the patient's TRANSFER to the ANALYST of emotions linked with other RELATIONSHIPS (such as love or hatred for a parent)
resistance
in psychoanalysis, the BLOCKING from CONSCIOUSNESS of anxiety-laden material
posttraumatic growth
positive psychological changes as a result of STRUGGLING with extremely challenging circumstances and life crises
meta-analysis
a procedure for STATISTICALLY COMBINING the results of many different research studies
What 3 elements are shared by all forms of psychotherapy?
1) Offer new hope for demoralized people 2) ( if therapist is effective ) an empathic, trusting, and caring relationship. 3) Also the THERAPEUTIC ALLIANCE- the emotional bond of trust and understanding between therapist and client- is an important element in effective therapy.
How do alternative therapies fare under scientific scrutiny?
Abnormal states tend to return to normal on their own, and the PLACEBO EFFECT can create the impression that a treatment has been effective. These two tendencies complicate assessments of alternative therapies (nontraditional therapies that claim to cure certain ailments). Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) has shown some effectiveness—NOT from the EYE MOVEMENT but rather from the EXPOSURE THERAPY nature of the treatments. Light exposure therapy does seem to relieve depression symptoms for those with a seasonal pattern of major depressive disorder by activating a brain region that influences arousal and hormones.
How does the basic assumption of behavior therapy differ from the assumptions of psychodynamic and humanistic therapies? What techniques are used in exposure therapies and aversive conditioning?
BEHAVIOR THERAPIES aren't insight therapies, and instead assume that problem behaviors ARE THE PROBLEM. Their goal is to apply LEARNING PRINCIPLES to modify these problem behaviors. CLASSICAL CONDITIONING techniques, including EXPOSURE THERAPIES ( such as SYSTEMATIC DESENSITIZATION or VIRTUAL REALITY EXPOSURE THERAPY) and AVERSIVE CONDITIONING, attempt to change behaviors through COUNTERCONDITIONING- evoking new responses to old stimuli that trigger unwanted behaviors.
exposure therapies
BEHAVIORAL techniques, such as SYSTEMATIC DESENSITIZATION, that treat anxieties by EXPOSING PEOPLE (in imagination or actuality) to the things they FEAR and AVOID.
What are the basic themes of humanistic therapy? What are the specific goals and techniques of Rogers' client-centered approach?
Both PSYCHODYNAMIC and HUMANISTIC therapists are INSIGHT THERAPIES- they attempt to IMPROVING FUNCTIONING by INCREASING clients' awareness of MOTIVES and DEFENSES. Humanistic therapy's goals include helping clients' GROW IN SELF AWARENESS and SELF-ACCEPTANCE; promoting PERSONAL GROWTH rather than CURING ILLNESS; helping clients TAKE RESPONSIBILITY for their own GROWTH; focusing on CONSCIOUS THOUGHTS rather than UNCONSCIOUS motivations; and seeing the present and future as MORE IMPORTANT than the PAST. Carl Rogers' CLIENT-CENTERED therapy proposed that therapists' MOST IMPORTANT CONTRIBUTIONS are to function as a PSYCHOLOGICAL MIRROR through ACTIVE LISTENING and to provide a GROWTH-FOSTERING environment of UNCONDITIONAL POSITIVE REGARD.
What should a person look for when selecting a psychotherapist?
Campus health centers are generally good starting points for counseling options, and they may offer some free services. A person seeking therapy may want to ask about the therapist's TREATMENT APPROACH, VALUES, CREDENTIALS, AND FEES. An important consideration is whether the therapy seeker FEELS COMFORTABLE and able to ESTABLISH A BOND WITH THE THERAPIST. Recognizing the importance of a strong THERAPEUTIC ALLIANCE, the American Psychological Association accredits programs that provide TRAINING IN CULTURAL SENSITIVITY and that recruit underrepresented cultural groups.
Does psychotherapy work? How can we tell?
Clients' and therapists' positive testimonials CAN'T PROVE THAT PSYCHOTHERAPY is effective, and the PLACEBO EFFECT makes it difficult to judge whether improvement occurred because of the treatment. Using META-ANALYSES to STATISTICALLY combine the results of hundreds of RANDOMIZED psychotherapy outcome studies, researchers have found that those NOT undergoing treatment OFTEN IMPROVE, but those UNDERGOING PSYCHOTHERAPY are MORE LIKELY TO IMPROVE-- and to improve more quickly and with LESS RISK OF RELAPSE.
How are brain stimulation and psychosurgery used in treating specific disorders?
ELECTROCONVULSIVE ( ECT ), in which a brief electric current is sent through the brain of an anesthetized patient, is an effective, last-resort treatment for people with severe depression who haven't responded to other therapy. Newer alternative treatments for depression include transcranial electrical stimulation ( tDCS; also used for scientifically unproven cognitive benefits ), repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation ( rTMS ), and deep-brain stimulation ( DMS; said to work by calming an overactive brain region linked with negative emotions, and has shown benefit in some patients ). PSYCHOSURGERY removes or destroys brain tissue in hopes of modifying behavior. Radical psychosurgical procedures such as LOBOTOMY are no longer performed. Today's microscale psychosurgery and MRI-guided precision brain surgery are rare, last-resort treatments because the effects are irreversible.
How can leaders be most effective?
Effective leaders set SPECIFIC challenging goals and CHOOSE an appropriate LEADERSHIP STYLE. Leadership style may be goal oriented ( TASK LEADERSHIP), group oriented ( SOCIAL LEADERSHIP), or some combination of the two. Effective management often involves POSITIVE REINFORCEMENT, fulfilling the NEED TO BELONG, and PARCIPITATIVE management.
active listening
Empathic listening in which the listener ECHOES, RESTATES, and CLARIFIES. A feature of Rogers' client-centered therapy.
Psychoanalysis
Freud's theory of PERSONALITY that attributes thoughts and actions to UNCONSCIOUS MOTIVES and CONFLICTS; the techniques used in treating psychological disorders by seeking to EXPOSE and INTERPRET unconscious tensions
What are the aims and benefits of group and family therapy?
Group therapy sessions can help MORE PEOPLE and COST LESS per person than individual therapy would. Clients may benefit from knowing others have SIMILAR PROBLEMS and from getting FEEDBACK and REASSURANCE. Family therapy views a family as an INTERACTIVE SYSTEM and attempts to help members DISCOVER the roles they play and to LEARN to COMMUNICATE more OPENLY and DIRECTLY.
How do human factors psychologists work to create user-friendly machines and work settings?
Human factors psychologists contribute to HUMAN SAFETY and IMPROVED design by encouraging developers and designers to CONSIDER human abilities and behaviors, to USER-TEST their work BEFORE production and distribution, and to remain mindful of the CURSE OF KNOWLEDGE ( the tendency for experts to mistakenly assume others share their knowledge ).
transformational leaders
Leaders who are able to inspire others to share a vision and commit themselves to a group's mission. They tend to be naturally extraverted and set high standards.
Are some psychotherapies more effective than others for specific disorders?
No ONE TYPE of psychotherapy is generally superior to all others. Therapy is MOST EFFECTIVE for those with CLEAR-CUT, SPECIFIC PROBLEMS. Some therapies—such as BEHAVIOR CONDITIONING for treating PHOBIAS and COMPULSIONS—are more effective for specific disorders. Psychodynamic therapy has been effective for depression and anxiety, and cognitive and cognitive-behavioral therapies have been effective in coping with anxiety, posttraumatic stress disorder, and depression. EVIDENCE-BASED practice integrates the best available research with clinicians' expertise and patients' characteristics, preferences, and circumstances.
What's the main premise of therapy based on operant conditioning principles, and what are the views of its proponents and critics?
Operant conditioning operates under the premise that VOLUNTARY BEHAVIORS are STRONGLY INFLUENCED by their CONSEQUENCES. Therapy based on operant conditioning principles therefore uses BEHAVIOR MODIFICATION TECHNIQUES to change UNWANTED BEHAVIORS by POSITIVELY REINFORCING desired behaviors and IGNORING or PUNISHING undesirable behaviors. Critics maintain that 1) techniques such as those used in TOKEN ECONOMIES may produce behavior changes that disappear when REWARDS END, and 2) deciding which behaviors should change is authoritarian and unethical. Proponents argue that treatment WITH POSITIVE REWARDS is more humane than PUNISHING PEOPLE OR INSTITUTIONALIZING them for UNDESIRED BEHAVIORS
What's the role of organizational psychologists?
Organizational psychologists EXAMINE INFLUENCES on worker satisfaction and productivity and facilitate organizational change. Employee satisfaction and engagement tend to correlate with organizational success; in fact, employee attitudes predict future business success.
biomedical therapy
PRESCRIPTION medications or MEDICAL procedures that ACT directly on the patient's nervous system
What are the drug therapies? How do double-blind studies help researchers evaluate a drug's effectiveness?
PSYCHOPHARMACOLOGY has helped make DRUG THERAPY the most widely used biomedical therapy. ANTIPSYCHOTIC DRUGS are used in treating SCHIZOPHRENIA; some block DOPAMINE activity. Side effects may include TARDIVE DYSKINESIA ( involuntary movements of facial muscles, tongue, and limbs ) or increased risk of obesity and diabetes. ANTIANXIETY drugs, which depress CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM ACTIVITY, are used to treat anxiety disorders, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and posttraumatic stress disorder, and can be addictive. ANTIDEPRESSANTS drugs, which often INCREASE the availability of SEROTONIN and NOREPINEPHRINE, are used to treat DEPRESSION, ANXIETY DISORDERS, OBSESSIVE-COMPULSIVE DISORDER, and POSTTRAUMATIC STRESS DISORDER with modest effectiveness. Given their widening use ( from depression to anxiety to strokes), some professionals prefer the term SSRIs rather than antidepressants. Lithium and Depakote are MOOD STABILIZERS prescribed for those with BIPOLAR disorders. Studies may use a DOUBLE-BLIND procedure to avoid the placebo effect and researcher bias.
How do psychotherapy and biomedical therapies differ?
PSYCHOTHERAPY is treatment involving PSYCHOLOGICAL techniques; it consists of interactions between a TRAINED THERAPIST and someone seeking to overcome PSYCHOLOGICAL difficulties or ACHIEVE personal growth. The major psychotherapies derive from psychology's PSYCHODYNAMIC, HUMANISTIC, BEHAVIORAL, and COGNITIVE perspectives. BIOMEDICAL therapy treats psychological disorders with MEDICATIONS or PROCEDURES that ACT directly on a patient's PHYSIOLOGY. An ECLECTIC approach COMBINES TECHNIQUES from various forms of therapy.
How do personnel psychologists help organizations with employee selection, work placement, and performance appraisal?
Personnel psychologists work to provide training programs for job seekers; devise selection methods for new employees; recruit and evaluate applicants; design and evaluate training programs; identify people's interests and strengths; analyze job content; and appraise individual and organizational performance. Unstructured, subjective interviews foster the INTERVIEWER ILLUSION; STRUCTURED INTERVIEWS pinpoint job-relevant strengths and are BETTER predictors of performance. Checklists, graphic rating scales, and behavior rating scales are useful performance appraisal methods.
What's the rationale for preventative mental health programs, and why is it important to develop resilience?
Preventative mental health programs are based on the idea that many psychological disorders could be prevented by changing oppressive, esteem-destroying environments into more benevolent, nurturing environments that foster growth, self-confidence, and resilience. Struggling with challenges can lead to POSTTRAUMATIC GROWTH. Community psychologists work to prevent psychological disorders by turning destructive environments into more nurturing places that fostering competence, health, and well-being.
What cultural influences need to be considered when choosing an effective leadership style?
Project GLOBE studies cultural variations in leadership expectation. Leaders who fulfill expectations ( being directive in some cultures or participative in others ) tend to be successful. But THRIVING companies worldwide tend to focus on IDENTIFYING and ENHANCING employee STRENGTHS; STRENGTHS-BASED leadership pays dividends everywhere.
What are the goals and techniques of the cognitive therapies and of cognitive-behavioral therapy?
The COGNITIVE THERAPIES, such as Aaron Beck's cognitive therapy for DEPRESSION, assume that our THINKING INFLUENCES OUR FEELINGS, and that the therapist's role is to CHANGE OUR CLIENTS' SELF-DEFEATING THINKING by training them to PERCEIVE and INTERPRET events in MORE CONSTRUCTIVE WAYS. The WIDELY RESEARCHED and PRACTICED cognitive-behavioral therapy ( CBT ) combines cognitive therapy and behavioral therapy by helping clients REGULARLY TRY OUT their NEW WAYS OF THINKING AND BELIEVING in their everyday life. A newer CBT variation, dialectical behavior therapy ( DBT ), teaches clients COGNITIVE TACTICS for tolerating distress and REGULATING EMOTIONS, and trains them in social skills and mindfulness meditation.
Why is therapeutic lifestyle change considered an effective biomedical therapy, and how does it work?
Therapeutic lifestyle change is considered a BIOMEDICAL THERAPY because it INFLUENCES the way the BRAIN RESPONDS. Mind and body are a unit; affect one and you will affect the other. Our EXERCISE, NUTRITION, RELATIONSHIPS, RECREATION, RELAXATION, and RELIGIOUS or SPIRITUAL ENGAGEMENT affect our mental health. People who undergo a program of AEROBIC EXERCISE, adequate SLEEP, LIGHT EXPOSURE, SOCIAL ENGAGEMENT, RUMINATION REDUCTION, and better NUTRITION have gained relief from depressive symptoms.
How do culture and values influence the client-therapist relationship?
Therapists differ in the the values that influence their goals in therapy and their views of progress. These differences may create problems if therapists and clients differ in their cultural and religious perspectives.
What are three key areas of study related to industrial-organizational psychology?
Three key areas of study related to INDUSTRIAL-ORGANIZATIONAL ( I/O ) PSYCHOLOGY are personnel, organizational, and human factors psychology. Each uses psychological principles to study and benefit the wide range of today's workers, workplaces, and work activities.
What are the goals and techniques of psychoanalysis, and how have they been adapted in psychodynamic therapy?
Through PSYCHOANALYSIS, Sigmund Freud tried to give people SELF-INSIGHT and RELIEF from their DISORDERS by bringing anxiety-laden FEELINGS and THOUGHTS into CONSCIOUS AWARENESS. Psychoanalytic techniques included using FREE ASSOCIATION and INTERPRETATION of instances of RESISTANCE and TRANSFERENCE. Psychodynamic therapy has been INFLUENCED by traditional psychoanalysis but DIFFERS from it in many ways, including the LACK OF BELIEF in ID, EGO, and SUPEREGO. This contemporary therapy is BRIEFER, less EXPENSIVE, and more focused on helping the client FIND RELIEF from CURRENT SYMPTOMS. Psychodynamic therapists help clients UNDERSTAND how PAST RELATIONSHIPS create THEMES that may be ACTED OUT in PRESENT RELATIONSHIPS.
counterconditioning
a BEHAVIOR therapy procedure that uses CLASSICAL CONDITIONING to evoke NEW RESPONSES to stimuli that are TRIGGERING UNWANTED behaviors; includes EXPOSURE therapies and AVERSIVE conditioning
client-centered therapy
a HUMANISTIC therapy, developed by Carl Rogers, in which the therapist uses techniques such as ACTIVE LISTENING within a GENUINE, ACCEPTING, EMPATHIC environment to facilitate clients' GROWTH. (Also called person-centered therapy.)
electroconvulsive therapy (ECT)
a biomedical therapy for SEVERELY DEPRESSED patients in which a brief electric current is sent through the brain of an anesthetized patient
therapeutic alliance
a bond of TRUST and MUTUAL UNDERSTANDING between a therapist and client, who WORK TOGETHER constructively to overcome the client's problem
flow
a completely involved, focused state of consciousness, with diminished awareness of self and time, resulting from optimal engagement of one's skills
cognitive-behavioral therapy ( CBT )
a popular INTEGRATIVE therapy that combines COGNITIVE therapy (changing self-defeating thinking) with BEHAVIOR therapy (changing behavior)
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
resilience
the PERSONAL STRENGTH that helps most people COPE with STRESS and RECOVER from adversity and even trauma
repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS)
the application of repeated PULSES of MAGNETIC ENERGY to the brain; used to stimulate or suppress brain activity
psychopharmacology
the study of the effects of drugs on mind and behavior
insight therapies
therapies in which the main goal is HELPING people to gain INSIGHT with respect to their BEHAVIORS, THOUGHTS, and FEELINGS
group therapy
therapy conducted with GROUPS rather than individuals, permitting therapeutic BENEFIT from GROUP INTERACTION
psychodynamic therapy
therapy deriving from the PSYCHOANALYTIC tradition that views individuals as responding to UNCONSCIOUS forces and CHILDHOOD experiences, and that seeks to enhance SELF-INSIGHT
cognitive therapy
therapy that TEACHES people NEW, MORE ADAPTIVE ways of thinking and acting; BASED on the assumption that THOUGHTS INTERVENE between EVENTS and our EMOTIONAL reactions
behavior therapy
therapy that applies LEARNING PRINCIPLES to the elimination of UNWANTED behaviors
family therapy
therapy that treats the FAMILY as a SYSTEM. Views an individual's unwanted behaviors as influenced by, or directed at, other family members