Lecture 38

Therapy 1

1. Psychotherapy
1. Definition
2. Psychotherapists
3. Major Approaches
2. Behavior Therapies
1. Exposure Therapy
2. Systematic Desensitization
3. Aversion Therapies
4. Behavior Modification
5. Token Economy
6. Modeling and Social Skills
3. Psychopharmacology
1. Varieties
2. Criticisms
4. Integrative Eclecticism
1. Dialectical behavior therapy

Overview

Most psychologists are involved with the treatment of psychological distress. Although there are several approaches to psychotherapy, none has proven universally more effective than another. Instead, each approach is effective in treating certain disorders, with some approaches being broader than others. For this reason, most therapists draw on a range of theoretical perspectives when treating clients.

Specifics

• Define psychotherapy and distinguish 3 types of psychotherapists (with respect to their respective advanced degrees).
• Identify 5 major approaches to psychotherapy.
• Be familiar with exposure therapy, including its aims, basis in learning theory, and 3 ways people can confront an anxiety-provoking stimulus in the context of therapy.
• Be able to recognize an “aversion therapy” and know what they aim to do and how they differ from exposure therapies.
• Define a token economy and know what aspect of learning it uses to create behavioral change.
• Be familiar with the drugs that are used to treat five psychopathologies, and know what neurotransmitters they affect.
• Know what is meant by the term “integrative eclecticism” and discuss its relevance to dialectical behavior therapy.

Major Approaches to Psychotherapy

Approach	Description
Behavioral/Learning
Biological
Cognitive
Humanism
Psychoanalytic (Freudian)

Psychopharmacology

Disorder & Drug	Targeted Neurotransmitter	Effects
Schizophrenia (Antipsychotic Drugs)
Bipolar Disorder (Lithium)
Anxiety (benzodiazepines)
Antidepressant 1 (Tricyclics, MAO inhibitors)
Antidepressant 2 (Selective Serotonin Reuptake)