AP Psychology – Treatment Approaches (Biomedical, Psychotherapy, CBT)

AP Psychology – Treatment Approaches (Biomedical, Psychotherapy, CBT)

AP Psychology Study Guide: Treatment Approaches (Biomedical, Psychotherapy, CBT)

What This Is

This topic covers the three major approaches to treating psychological disorders: biomedical (medication, surgery), psychotherapy (talk therapy), and cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT). The AP exam tests your ability to compare these approaches, identify their strengths/weaknesses, and apply them to real-world scenarios. For example, if a patient with depression is prescribed SSRIs (biomedical), attends psychodynamic therapy (psychotherapy), and practices cognitive restructuring (CBT), you should understand how each method works and why they might be used together.

Key Terms & Concepts

• Biomedical Therapy: Treatment that directly alters brain chemistry or structure (e.g., drugs, ECT, psychosurgery).

• Example: Antidepressants (SSRIs like Prozac) increase serotonin levels to reduce depression symptoms.

• Psychotherapy: "Talk therapy" that helps patients understand and change thoughts, emotions, or behaviors.

• Types: Psychodynamic, humanistic, behavioral, cognitive.

• Psychodynamic Therapy (Freud): Focuses on unconscious conflicts (e.g., childhood trauma) and uses free association and dream analysis.

• Example: A patient with anxiety explores repressed memories of a childhood accident.

• Humanistic Therapy (Rogers): Emphasizes self-actualization and unconditional positive regard (nonjudgmental support).

• Example: A therapist helps a client with low self-esteem by reflecting their feelings ("It sounds like you feel worthless—tell me more").

• Behavioral Therapy: Uses learning principles (classical/operant conditioning) to change maladaptive behaviors.

• Techniques: Exposure therapy (for phobias), token economies (for autism/ADHD).

• Cognitive Therapy (Beck): Focuses on changing irrational thoughts (e.g., "I’m a failure") to improve emotions/behaviors.

• Example: A depressed patient learns to challenge thoughts like "No one likes me" by listing evidence.

• Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT): Combines cognitive therapy (thoughts) + behavioral therapy (actions).

• Example: A patient with OCD identifies obsessive thoughts (cognitive) and practices response prevention (behavioral).

• Electroconvulsive Therapy (ECT): Brief electrical currents to the brain, used for severe depression when other treatments fail.

• Controversy: Can cause memory loss but is highly effective for treatment-resistant depression.

• Psychosurgery (Lobotomy): Rare, irreversible brain surgery (e.g., prefrontal lobotomy) to treat severe disorders.

• Historical Example: Walter Freeman’s ice-pick lobotomies (1940s–50s) left patients emotionally flat.

• Antipsychotics (e.g., Thorazine): Drugs that reduce hallucinations/delusions (e.g., for schizophrenia).

• Side Effect: Tardive dyskinesia (involuntary muscle movements).

• Antidepressants (SSRIs/SNRIs): Increase serotonin/norepinephrine to treat depression/anxiety.

• Example: Prozac, Zoloft (SSRIs) take 4–6 weeks to work.

• Mood Stabilizers (e.g., Lithium): Used for bipolar disorder to prevent manic/depressive episodes.

Step-by-Step: How to Compare Treatment Approaches on the AP Exam

1. Identify the Disorder
2. Example: A patient has OCD (obsessions + compulsions).

3. Key Question: Is this a thought-based (cognitive), behavior-based (behavioral), or biological (neurochemical) issue?

4. Match the Approach to the Problem

5. Biomedical: Best for biological disorders (e.g., schizophrenia, bipolar).
   • Example: Antipsychotics for schizophrenia.
6. Psychotherapy: Best for emotional/behavioral issues (e.g., anxiety, depression).
   • Example: CBT for OCD (exposure + response prevention).

7. Combined Approach: Often most effective (e.g., meds + therapy for depression).

8. Evaluate Strengths & Weaknesses

9. Biomedical:
   • ? Fast-acting (e.g., ECT for severe depression).
   • ? Side effects (e.g., weight gain with antipsychotics).
10. Psychotherapy:
    • ? Long-term skills (e.g., CBT teaches coping strategies).
    • ? Time-consuming (e.g., psychoanalysis takes years).

11. CBT:

    • ? Evidence-based (proven for anxiety, depression).
    • ? Requires patient effort (homework, practice).

12. Apply to a Scenario (FRQ Practice)

13. Example FRQ: "A patient with social anxiety avoids parties. Describe how a therapist might use behavioral therapy and cognitive therapy to help."

14. Answer:

    • Behavioral: Gradual exposure (start with small gatherings, then larger ones).
    • Cognitive: Challenge thoughts like "Everyone will judge me" with evidence ("Last time, people were friendly").

15. Consider Ethical/Legal Issues

16. Example: Informed consent (patients must agree to treatment).
17. Example: ECT requires consent (unless court-ordered for severe cases).

Common Mistakes

• Mistake: Thinking all therapy is the same (e.g., "CBT is just talking").

• Correction: CBT is structured, goal-oriented, and focuses on changing thoughts/actions, while psychodynamic therapy explores unconscious conflicts.

• Mistake: Assuming medication fixes everything (e.g., "Antidepressants cure depression").

• Correction: Meds manage symptoms but don’t address root causes (e.g., trauma, negative thought patterns). Therapy + meds is often best.

• Mistake: Confusing behavioral therapy with cognitive therapy.

• Correction:

  • Behavioral: Changes actions (e.g., exposure therapy for phobias).
  • Cognitive: Changes thoughts (e.g., challenging irrational beliefs).

• Mistake: Overlooking side effects of biomedical treatments.

• Correction: Antipsychotics can cause tardive dyskinesia, SSRIs may increase suicidal thoughts in teens.

• Mistake: Thinking ECT is outdated and barbaric.

• Correction: Modern ECT is safe, controlled, and highly effective for treatment-resistant depression.

AP Exam Insights

1. FRQs Often Ask for Comparisons
2. Example: "Compare and contrast biomedical therapy and cognitive-behavioral therapy for treating depression."

3. Key Points:

   • Biomedical: Fast, biological, side effects.
   • CBT: Long-term, skill-building, no side effects.

4. Multiple-Choice Traps

5. ECT vs. Psychosurgery: ECT is temporary/reversible; psychosurgery is permanent.

6. Humanistic vs. Psychodynamic: Humanistic = present-focused, unconditional positive regard; psychodynamic = past-focused, unconscious conflicts.

7. Real-World Applications

8. Example: A question might describe a veteran with PTSD and ask which therapy is best (exposure therapy for trauma).

9. Ethical Considerations

10. Example: "Why might a therapist avoid recommending lobotomies today?" (Answer: Irreversible, severe side effects, ethical concerns.)

Quick Check Questions

1. Which therapy focuses on changing irrational thoughts to improve emotions? a) Psychodynamic therapy b) Cognitive therapy c) Behavioral therapy d) Humanistic therapy Answer: b) Cognitive therapy (It targets maladaptive thought patterns, like "I’m worthless.")

2. A patient with schizophrenia is prescribed Thorazine. This is an example of: a) Psychotherapy b) Biomedical therapy c) Cognitive-behavioral therapy d) Humanistic therapy Answer: b) Biomedical therapy (Thorazine is an antipsychotic medication.)

3. Short FRQ: "Explain how a therapist might use exposure therapy and cognitive restructuring to treat a patient with a fear of flying."

4. Answer:
   • Exposure therapy: Gradually expose the patient to flying-related stimuli (e.g., pictures-airport-short flight).
   • Cognitive restructuring: Challenge thoughts like "The plane will crash" with evidence (e.g., "Flying is statistically safer than driving").

Last-Minute Cram Sheet

1. Biomedical Therapy: Drugs (SSRIs, antipsychotics), ECT, psychosurgery.
2. Psychotherapy: Talk therapy (psychodynamic, humanistic, behavioral, cognitive).
3. CBT = Cognitive + Behavioral Therapy (thoughts + actions).
4. SSRIs (e.g., Prozac): Increase serotonin for depression/anxiety.
5. Antipsychotics (e.g., Thorazine): Reduce hallucinations/delusions (schizophrenia).
6. ECT: Brief electrical currents for severe depression (can cause memory loss).
7. Lobotomy: Outdated psychosurgery (caused emotional flatness).
8. Exposure Therapy: Gradual exposure to fears (e.g., phobias, PTSD).
9. Cognitive Restructuring: Challenging irrational thoughts (e.g., "I’ll fail"-"I’ve succeeded before").
10. Meds-Cure: They manage symptoms, not root causes (therapy helps long-term).