AQA GCSE Psychology (8182) · Social context and behaviour · Psychological problems
Mini-Lesson
Psychological Problems
This mini-lesson covers the AQA Psychological Problems topic: how views of mental health have changed, depression (its biological and psychological explanations, and treatments including antidepressants, CBT and the Wiles study), and addiction and its treatment.
Work through each screen, answer the questions as you go and collect ⭐ stars. Every fact here is anchored to a named study or theory on the AQA GCSE Psychology (8182) Psychological Problems topic. Press Start when you're ready.
Psychological problems · mental health
Mental health over time
Views of mental health have changed over time and vary between cultures.
Rates of some diagnoses appear to have increased, partly because of greater awareness and less stigma.
Mental health problems have effects on individuals (e.g. on relationships and work) and on society (e.g. cost to health services).
Two problems AQA focuses on are depression (unipolar) and addiction.
Quick check
Effects of mental health problems
?Which of these is best described as an effect of mental health problems on society rather than on the individual?
Depression · explanations
Explaining depression
AQA gives a biological and a psychological explanation of depression:
Biological explanation: an imbalance of neurotransmitters, especially low levels of serotonin in the brain.
Psychological explanation:negative schemas and faulty attributions — people with depression interpret events in a negative, self-blaming way.
Quick check
Biological explanation of depression
?Which neurotransmitter is most linked to the biological explanation of depression?
Depression · treatment
Antidepressants, CBT & the Wiles study
Depression can be treated biologically or psychologically:
Antidepressants (SSRIs) block the reuptake of serotonin, leaving more in the synapse to boost mood.
Cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT) challenges negative thoughts and schemas and changes behaviour.
Wiles (2013) found that CBT plus antidepressants was more effective at reducing symptoms than antidepressants alone, with greater recovery after 12 months.
Sort it
Sort: depression or addiction?
Tap a description, then tap the problem it belongs to.
🔁 Both / general
😞 Depression
🎲 Addiction
Quick check
How SSRIs work
?SSRIs treat depression by blocking the reuptake of serotonin. What effect does this have at the synapse?
Addiction
Addiction & its treatment
Addiction is when a person has no control over doing, taking or using something to the point where it could be harmful. AQA covers a learning theory explanation:
Learning theory: addictive behaviour is learned and maintained through reinforcement — the pleasant effects reward and repeat the behaviour.
Treatment — aversion therapy: the addictive behaviour is paired with an unpleasant stimulus so it becomes associated with something negative and is reduced.
Link: reinforcement (from learning theory) explains how the addiction is kept going, and aversion therapy tries to break that link.
Match it
Match the disorder idea
Tap a description on the left, then its matching term on the right.
Statement
Answer
Quick check
Explaining addiction
?According to learning theory, addictive behaviour is kept going mainly because it is:
Depression · evaluating treatments
Evaluating the treatments
Each treatment has strengths and weaknesses:
Antidepressants: fast and easy to use, but treat symptoms not causes and can have side effects.
CBT: tackles the thinking behind depression and lasts longer, but needs effort and time.
Wiles found combining them works best for many people.
Mental health · attitudes
Changing attitudes to mental health
Society's view of mental health keeps changing:
Greater awareness and less stigma mean more people seek help.
This partly explains why some diagnoses appear to have increased over time.
Better understanding reduces discrimination against people with mental health problems.
Recap
The big ideas to know
Mental health: views change over time; effects on the individual and society