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AP Psychology Mod 50-52 Defin. Study Guide (Mental Illness)
Mod 50 (Psychological Therapies)
Psychotherapy: (Talking) Emotionally charged interaction between a therapist and person with psychological difficulties
Eclectic Approach: Therapeutic approach that uses techniques from multiple forms of therapy
Psychoanalysis: Freudian use of free associations, dreams, projective tests to help subject gain self-insight to problems
Resistance: The blocking of anxiety-laden material from consciousness during psychoanalysis
Transference: When a patient transfers emotions linked with other relationships to their analyst
Psychodynamic Therapy: (modern/neo-Freudian) A face-to-face therapy that probes early childhood experiences for
causes to current mental issues
Interpersonal Psychotherapy: (more modern) This focuses on current relationships rather than analyzing the past
Humanistic Therapy (Client-Centered Therapy): A therapy that focus on the present/future Vs past; conscious Vs
unconscious; personal responsibility Vs hidden drives; growth Vs illness; it uses “active listening” with a genuine,
accepting, empathetic environment to facilitate clients’ growth; provides non-directive “unconditional positive regard”
Behavior Therapy (Learning Theory): This therapy uses learning principles (Classical/Operant) to eliminate unwanted
behaviors; it is not concerned with enhancing one’s “self” image
Counterconditioning: A form of Classical Conditioning (learning) that conditions a new response to stimuli that trigger
unwanted behaviors; it includes systematic desensitization and aversive conditioning
Systematic Desensitization: A type of counterconditioning that associates a pleasant, relaxed state with gradually
increasing anxiety-triggering stimuli; commonly used to treat phobias.
Aversive Conditioning: A type of counterconditioning that associates an unpleasant state with an unwanted behavior; for
instance nausea with the use of alcohol, tobacco, drugs etc.
Exposure Therapies: Used to treat anxieties by exposing people (in imagination or reality) to the things they fear/avoid.
Token Economy: an operant conditioning procedure that rewards desired behavior; subject earns a form of fake money
for exhibiting the desired behavior; this may be exchanged for various privileges or treats.
Cognitive Therapy: This teaches better ways of thinking and acting; assumes that improper thinking causes inappropriate
emotional reactions; most commonly used therapy today; teaches client to take credit for good things, not bad.
Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy: Type of therapy that combines cognitive therapy (change thinking) with behavior
therapy (changing what you do).
Family Therapy/Counseling: This treats the family as a system; guiding family members toward positive relationships
Mod 51 (Evaluating Therapies)
Regression Toward the Mean: The tendency for extreme mental disorders to fall back (regress) toward normal even if
not treated; early studies revealed that people on a waiting list may recover as well as those not treated
Meta-analysis: Statistically combining the results of several research studies; this revealed that 80% of treated patients
improve more than untreated and that no one method is better than an other.
Therapeutic Touch: An alternative therapy in which hands are moved close to the patients body to “push energy fields
into balance”;
scientific research indicates these methods are “ineffective”. (probably placebo effect)
Eye Movement Desensitization/Reprocessing (EMDR): Alternative therapy in which therapist moves finger in front of
eyes to relieve anxiety; scientific research indicates this is “ineffective” (Placebo?)
Light Exposure Therapy: Alternative therapy in which patients with seasonal affective disorder (SAD/depression) are
exposed to early morning light that adjusts melatonin release; research indicates bright morning light is “effective”.
Clinical Psychologists: Most have a Ph.D. and expertise in research, assessment, and therapy, with an internship; work in
agencies/institutions and private practice
Psychiatrist: Physicians who prescribe medications for mental illness; they tend to see those with the most serious
problems.
Mod 52 Biomedical Therapies
Psychopharmacology (drugs): study of the effects of drugs on mind/behavior; “double-blind” method is used to test
Thorazine: A powerful antipsychotic drug that helps relieve positive symptoms of schizophrenia (Haldol is newr and is
also used); side effects include sluggishness, tremors/twitches similar to Parkinson’s disease (tardive dyskinesia)
Clozaril: A newer antipsychotic drug that helps people with the negative symptoms of Schizophrenia.
Anti-Anxiety Drugs: (Xanax, Valium, barbiturates) drugs that depress CNS activity, relieving anxiety symptoms.
Anti-Depressants: (Prozac/Zoloft/Paxil) Drugs that increases serotonin level (mood enhancers); they include Selective
Seratonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRI’s) which are effective with depression and OCD.
Lithium: A salt/metallic based chemical that is used for the mood swings of bipolar (manic-depressive) disorders; it
works better on “mania”, and is best at preventing these episodes (maintenance drug).
Aerobic Exercise: This is an effective (non-drug) substitute for antidepressant drugs.
Psychosurgery: A medical procedure that removes/destroys some brain tissue in order to change behavior.
Lobotomy: This is a rare medical procedure once used to calm uncontrollable patients by damaging their frontal lobe.
Electroconvulsive (Shock) Therapy (ECT): This is used to treat severe depression by using an electric current to trigger
a brain seizure subsequently relieving suicidal tendencies; it may cause some short term memory loss.