Assignment 11: Psychosocial Interventions     Due 4/25/01

Answer each of the following questions in a short paragraph (no more than 50-75 words each).  Answers must be in your own words; you may not quote from the readings or take 5 or more words verbatim from the readings, or use the work of another student.

1. How is cognitive behavior therapy supposed to be different from behavior therapy, and what is the argument against it? (see Lilienfeld Chapter 13)

2. Give a specific example of a behavior therapy technique and how it can be used to treat a specific form of psychopathology.

3. Give a specific example of a cognitive therapy technique and how it can be used to treat a specific form of psychopathology.

4. Give a specific example of how the family can be included in the treatment of a specific form of psychopathology.

5. Summarize one argument in support of the “controlled-drinking” approach to treating problem drinking, and one argument against. (see Lilienfeld Chapter 14)

The following questions are only for discussion in class.  You should be prepared to offer your thoughts if called on.

6. In what fundamental ways are intrapsychic treatment approaches different from behaviorist approaches in psychotherapy?

7. Briefly summarize two reasons why traditional insight-oriented psychotherapies are less emphasized now than they used to be.

8. Despite the diminishing appeal of traditional insight-oriented approaches, there do appear to be some areas of psychopathology where they may still be valuable; select one specific area of psychopathology and explain how an insight-oriented approach may be used.

9. Describe the psychoeducational approach and give one example of how it can be used in the treatment of a specific form of psychopathology.

10. Virtually any method of intervention can be made to sound effective, but research is necessary to convince us that therapy works; briefly summarize one research study that has demonstrated the apparent effectiveness of a specific psychosocial intervention.

Copyright ©1998 Beverly J. Volicer and Steven F. Tello, UMass Lowell.  You may freely edit these pages  for use in a non-profit, educational setting.  Please include this copyright notice on all pages.