Approaches to Explaining Atypical Behaviour 1 Medical Model

Approaches to Explaining Atypical Behaviour

1. Medical Model Assumes that atypical behaviour is the result of a physical issue. Behaviour can be treated medically.

Explanations for Behaviour Genes (hereditary) Biomechanical Imbalance (e. g hormones) Neuroanatomy Problems. (Chua et al, 1995)

Evaluation Advantages Disadvantages Lacks discrimination and takes Treats symptoms, not the underlying away from the taboo issue. surrounding atypical behaviour. Patients can accept illness more easily as they are not to blame – underlying problem. Reductionist – mental health is much more complex than this model suggests. (Zsasz, 2000) Some disorders definitely are caused by physical issues. Takes responsibility for treatment away from individual. Led to a more humane Inconclusive evidence Diathesis-stress approach (previously exorcism) model Brown and Harris, 1978

Medical Therapies Drugs: anti-depressants, eg Prozac. They can be used for both depression and eating disorders. Its effectiveness supports the medical model. The drugs don’t work: Electroconvulsive therapy, weight restoration. ECT: Comer (2002) found a 60 -70% improvement rate, but Sackheim et al (2001) argued that many patients later relapsed.

Cognitive Approach Cognitive -1. The mental process of knowing, including aspects such as awareness, perception, reasoning, and judgement. Atypical behaviour is a result of irrational and negative thinking. Can treat atypical behaviour by teaching the individual to challenge these thoughts and change the way they perceive situations

Beck, 1976. Cognitive Triad

Treatments Replace negative thoughts with positive thoughts: Eating disorders: “I am fat no-one will love me if I am fat” “I am not perfect but people will love me the way I am”

Evaluation Advantages Disadvantages Sees quick results Negative thoughts the result or cause of conditions? (Schachter and Singer, 1962) Can be successful, specifically with depression and anorexia. Doesn’t investigate the root of the problem. Gives the individual the tools to Blames the patient not their treat themselves. situations. Smith et al, 1980

Behaviourist Approach Actions a result of experiences in life. Behaviour is learned – Classical/Operant conditioning. Focuses on behaviour only not on the mind. Classical Conditioning – Pavlov’s dogs. Behaviour learned through association. Operant Conditioning – Skinner’s Box. Behaviour learned through consequences. Observational learning. Bandura’s Social Learning Theory. We learn behaviour by observing others.

Evaluation Advantages Disadvantages Scientific and testable Disregards thoughts and feelings Definitely accounts for some behaviour/ Works for phobias and OCD Can’t account for all behaviour Treats symptoms not cause. Eg, medical issues/childhood trauma

Therapies Aversion Therapy Systematic Modelling Desensitisation Therapy

Psychoanalytic Approach Freud Atypical behaviour is psychological not physical. Caused by: unresolved psychological conflicts. (id, ego superego) Repressed childhood experiences Unconscious motivations

Defence Mechanisms Behaviour-channelling defences Identification Displacement Sublimation Primary reality - distorting defences Repression Denial Secondary reality -distorting defences Projection Reaction formation Rationalisation

Therapies Clinical Interviews Analysis of symbolism Task: what do you think the following dreams would say about a person’s personality? Being attacked Attacking others Falling from the sky. Climbing to the sky/flying. A train going into a tunnel.

Evaluation Advantages Disadvantages Patient centred Sample theories are based on Childhood is key Reductionist Influential and widely used Too much sex!!!