Health Psychology 8 marks questions answered

Section B: Describe what psychologists have discovered about the patient-practitioner relationship. Firstly, McKintry and Wang researched non-verbal communication between practitioner and patient through the effect of dress code on patient's respect and opinions towards doctors. It was found that patients preferred male doctors wearing smart suits and female doctors wearing a skirt and jumper. Overall, …

Health Psychology 6 marks questions answered

Consider what the ethics are concerned with health promotions. Firstly, one ethic that is concerned with health promotions is the protection of viewers/readers as some campaigns may include a message too strong for a certain age group or that might trigger people because of their life experiences. Health promotions, if they are displayed on TV, …

Treatments for OCD

Drug Therapy  Selvi et al (2011) researched the effects of two ‘extra’ drugs on OCD patients that had not responded well just taking SSRIs. The progress was measured with the Y-BOCS over an 8-week period: Aripiprazole showed 50% reduction in OCD scores. Risperidone showed 72.2% reduction in OCD scores. Cognitive behavioural therapy  This focuses on …

Explanations of Obsessive-compulsive disorder

Biochemical  Neuro psychological findings have found that most OCD patients have increased brain activity in the frontal lobe of the left hemisphere. Also, biochemical findings suggested that OCD may be genetic and/or a result of certain neurotrasmitters. Taj et al (2013) found that controls and OCD patients were all genotyped for the DRD4 gene and variants, …

Definitions, measures and examples

Definitions  Obsessions: recurring and persistent thoughts, images or impulses that are intrusive and inappropriate and cause high levels of anxiety. This is the cognitive side of the disorder. Compulsions: repetitive behaviours or mental acts that a person engages in to neutralise, counteract or get rid of the obsessions. This is the behavioural side of the …

Treating Phobias

Systematic Desensitisation  Behavioural therapy based on classical conditioning, that aims to remove the fear response to the conditioned stimulus and replace it with a relaxation response. An hierarchy of fear is developed and the patients will work through it using relaxation skills/techniques. WOLPE (1958) developed the treatment in the late 1950s, which focuses on counter conditioning. …

Explanations of phobias

Behavioural - classical conditioning  WATSON AND RAYNER (1920) conditioned a 9-month old baby - Little Albert - to fear a white rat and this then extended to anything white and furry (e.g. Santa Claus' beard). This is how classical conditioning worked on the child: Before conditioning Unconditioned stimulus (Loud Noise of the Hammer) = Fear  …

Definitions, types/examples of phobias

Definitions and Types  Phobias: an irrational fear of something, someone or some object. It is illogical and unreasonable as in some situations there is no reason for fear. They are classified in 3 groups: Agoraphobia - the intense fear of open spaces and/or public areas. Social phobia - the intense fear of being in social …

Coping with and reducing addiction and impulse control disorder

Behavioural  Token economy - beahaviour modification technique which is based on the systematic positive reinforcement of a target behaviour. It uses tokens, which can be exchanged for rewards or privileges. Petty et al (2000) researched 42 alcohol-dependent older adults in an outpatient setting and found that standard treatment lead to 22% of people completing it …

Schuckit (1985)

Aims To see the role genes and biology play in the development of alcoholism. Procedures 400 volunteers college men – half of them had an alcoholic father. Independent groups design: Group 1 – received an alcohol beverage Group 2 – received a non-alcoholic beverage Participants did not know which beverage they received as they all …