Bipolar

Question 1

Beck Depression Inventory

Answer 1

• diagnostic tool
• 21 item self-report measure
• each item consists of 4 statements
• 10:min, 30 or more: severe depression

Question 2

Explanations of depression

Answer 2

• Biological: genetic and neurochemical (Oruc et al)
• cognitive (Beck)
• Learned helplessness and attribution style (Seligman et al)

Question 3

Treatment and management of depression

Answer 3

• Biochemical (MAOIs and SSRIs)
• Electroconvulsive Therapy
• Cognitive Restructuring (Beck)
• Rational Emotive Behavioural Therapy (Ellis)

Question 4

Biological

Answer 4

-first degree relatives: 50% DNA
-31 to 70 years with a diagnosis of bipolar disorder- 42 participants
-control group :40: no personal or family history
DNA testing; to test for polymorphisms in serotonin receptor and transporter.
- serotonin as a neurotransmitter is said to be sexually dimorphic
-polymorphisms in these genes could be responsible for an increased risk of developing bipolar disorder in females only.

Question 5

Cognitive

Answer 5

• negative views form a reality.
• underlying process of incorrect info processing
• ‘cognitive distortion’: an automatic process which develops as a result of earlier life experiences, through developing schemas
• Beck’s cognitive triad of depression

Question 6

Learned Helplessness and Attribution Theory (Seligman)

Answer 6

• individual learns that they are unable to control the situation and prevent suffering, so they eventually cease to resist it.
• depression a direct result of a real or perceived lack of control over the outcome of one’s situation.
• view things as global, internal and stable

Question 7

Seligman’s research

Answer 7

• investigated how attributional style could predict depressive symptoms.
• 39 patients -unipolar and 12-bipolar
• mean age of 36
• compared with a control group: 10 non-clinical
• BDI, Attributional Style Questionnaire- 12 hypothetical bad and good events- rate each one on a seven-point scale for internality, stability and globality
• uni and bi pessimistic views

Question 8

MAOIs

Answer 8

• Monoamine oxidase inhibitors
• inhibit the work of an enzyme known as monoamine oxidase
• prevents neurotransmitters such as serotonin and dopamine from breaking down.
• side effects: headaches, nausea, constipation, diarrhea
• high chances for withdrawal
• if other antidepressants do not work

Question 9

SSRIs

Answer 9

• Prozac
• act on serotonin to stop it from being reabsorbed and broken down
• commonly used
• fewer side effects

Question 10

ECT

Answer 10

• last resort

- 1000 patients, 50% recovery rate: Dierckx et al

Question 11

Cognitive Restructuring

Answer 11

-aims to gain entry into the patients’ cognitive organization
-talking therapy
–questioning and identifying illogical thinking to determine and change
the patient’s way of thinking
-directed to catch automatic, dysfunctional thoughts and record them.
-Wiles at al:
-469 patients who failed to respond to antidepressants
-usual care or cbt
-cbt reduction in symptoms

Question 12

Rational Emotive Behavioural Therapy (Ellis)

Answer 12

• psychological approach to treatment on the principles of stoicism
• Stocism:individual is not directly affected by outside things but rather by their perception of external things
• helps patients understnad the ABC model
• help individuals create and maintain constructive, ratioal patterns of thinking about their lives