© Ane Venter
Chapter 16
Treatment of Abnormal Behaviour
Lecture notes are in RED
Extra notes are in BLUE
1
,© Ane Venter
Treatment: A Psychological Approach
1. Can a combined approach exist?
2. The elements of the treatment process
3. Treatments: how many are there?
4. The role of a mental health professional
5. The difference between clinical psychologists and psychiatrists
6. Making a diagnosis
→ Empirically supported treatment options are developed to support psychological intervention
→ Psychologists can adapt approach to the patient
→ Treatment protocol = Specific approach to treating and managing a specific disorder, that has been
developed, implemented, and evaluated over a period of time.
○ Approach = authenticated with reference to an appropriate patient population
- Allows clinician to identify, modify, and implement empirically supported treatment regimens
- Clinician can provide a service within parameters of good, ethical practice
1. Can a Combined Approach Exist?
→ George Engel’s conceptual introduction of the BIOPSYCHOSOCIAL MODEL = replaced purely medical
model of viewing health
○ Promotes multifaceted integration of biological, psychological, and social influences on mental
health
clinicians can explore mental
illness through integration of
these components.
2
, © Ane Venter
○ Attraction of model to the medical domain = may be attributed to inclusion of biological
composition of mental illness.
- May include:
General medical conditions
Genetic predispositions
Neurological, biological, and cognitive impairments
○ Model considers psychological predisposing risk factors that may significantly impact the mental
state of an individual.
- May include:
Emotional turmoil
Self-esteem
Coping skills
External locus of control
Traumatic events
○ Social influences – also known as psychosocial influences
- May include:
Family
Interpersonal relationships
Poverty
Education and/or culture
- Noteworthy in the development and sustainability of mental illness
→ Model allows clinician to explore causality of health within parameters of an integrative theoretical
understanding.
→ Model facilitates an integrative approach to aetiology of mental illness + highlighting its complexity
2. The Elements of the Treatment Process
→ Case that inspired Freud = patient treated by his colleague Joseph Breuer
○ 1880
○ Young woman named Anna O (Bertha Pappenheim)
○ Exhibited symptoms such as headaches, coughing, and a lack of feeling and movement in her right
arm.
○ Symptoms cleared up when encouraged to talk about traumatic experiences from her past
- Wondered if talking cured bottled up symptoms
3
Chapter 16
Treatment of Abnormal Behaviour
Lecture notes are in RED
Extra notes are in BLUE
1
,© Ane Venter
Treatment: A Psychological Approach
1. Can a combined approach exist?
2. The elements of the treatment process
3. Treatments: how many are there?
4. The role of a mental health professional
5. The difference between clinical psychologists and psychiatrists
6. Making a diagnosis
→ Empirically supported treatment options are developed to support psychological intervention
→ Psychologists can adapt approach to the patient
→ Treatment protocol = Specific approach to treating and managing a specific disorder, that has been
developed, implemented, and evaluated over a period of time.
○ Approach = authenticated with reference to an appropriate patient population
- Allows clinician to identify, modify, and implement empirically supported treatment regimens
- Clinician can provide a service within parameters of good, ethical practice
1. Can a Combined Approach Exist?
→ George Engel’s conceptual introduction of the BIOPSYCHOSOCIAL MODEL = replaced purely medical
model of viewing health
○ Promotes multifaceted integration of biological, psychological, and social influences on mental
health
clinicians can explore mental
illness through integration of
these components.
2
, © Ane Venter
○ Attraction of model to the medical domain = may be attributed to inclusion of biological
composition of mental illness.
- May include:
General medical conditions
Genetic predispositions
Neurological, biological, and cognitive impairments
○ Model considers psychological predisposing risk factors that may significantly impact the mental
state of an individual.
- May include:
Emotional turmoil
Self-esteem
Coping skills
External locus of control
Traumatic events
○ Social influences – also known as psychosocial influences
- May include:
Family
Interpersonal relationships
Poverty
Education and/or culture
- Noteworthy in the development and sustainability of mental illness
→ Model allows clinician to explore causality of health within parameters of an integrative theoretical
understanding.
→ Model facilitates an integrative approach to aetiology of mental illness + highlighting its complexity
2. The Elements of the Treatment Process
→ Case that inspired Freud = patient treated by his colleague Joseph Breuer
○ 1880
○ Young woman named Anna O (Bertha Pappenheim)
○ Exhibited symptoms such as headaches, coughing, and a lack of feeling and movement in her right
arm.
○ Symptoms cleared up when encouraged to talk about traumatic experiences from her past
- Wondered if talking cured bottled up symptoms
3
