Psychology: Treatments: Therapy, Medication, and CBT
Comparing common mental health treatments and how they work
Psychology: Treatments: Therapy, Medication, and CBT
Comparing common mental health treatments and how they work
Psychology - Grade 9-12
- 1
In psychology, what is a treatment? Explain how a mental health treatment is different from simply giving advice to a friend.
A treatment is a planned approach used by a trained professional to reduce symptoms, improve functioning, or support mental health. It is different from giving advice because it is based on assessment, professional training, ethical rules, and often research evidence. - 2
Compare psychotherapy and medication as treatments for mental health conditions. Include one goal of each.
Think about the difference between learning coping skills and changing brain chemistry.
Psychotherapy uses conversation, skills practice, and the therapist-client relationship to help people understand and change thoughts, emotions, and behaviors. Medication is prescribed by a qualified medical professional to affect brain and body processes that may contribute to symptoms. - 3
Cognitive behavioral therapy, or CBT, focuses on the connection between thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. Give an example of how changing one part of this cycle could affect the others.
Use a school, sports, or friendship example.
If a student changes the thought 'I will fail no matter what' to 'I can improve by studying and asking for help,' the student may feel less hopeless and may choose to study instead of avoiding the assignment. - 4
A person is afraid of elevators and avoids them every day. A therapist slowly helps the person practice being near elevators, then standing inside one with support, and eventually riding one. What type of therapy technique does this describe, and what is its goal?
The key idea is gradual practice with something feared.
This describes exposure therapy. Its goal is to help the person face a feared situation gradually and safely so the fear response decreases and avoidance becomes less powerful. - 5
Explain why a psychiatrist may be involved in medication treatment, while a psychologist may be more likely to provide therapy.
A psychiatrist is a medical doctor who can prescribe medication and monitor medical effects. A psychologist usually has advanced training in assessment and psychotherapy, but in most places does not prescribe medication. - 6
Read the thought: 'I made one mistake on my presentation, so the whole thing was a disaster.' Identify the likely thinking error and write a more balanced CBT-style thought.
Look for words that make the situation seem extreme.
The thinking error is overgeneralizing or all-or-nothing thinking. A more balanced thought is, 'I made one mistake, but many parts of the presentation may still have gone well, and I can learn from the mistake.' - 7
Why is evidence-based practice important in mental health treatment?
Evidence-based practice is important because it encourages professionals to use treatments that have been tested with research, matched to the client's needs, and adjusted using clinical judgment and client preferences. - 8
A student says, 'Medication fixes mental health problems instantly.' Explain why this statement is inaccurate.
Consider time, individual differences, and professional monitoring.
The statement is inaccurate because medication does not usually work instantly, may not help every person in the same way, and often works best with monitoring, healthy supports, and sometimes therapy. Medication decisions should be made with a qualified professional. - 9
Complete the comparison: In client-centered therapy, the therapist often emphasizes empathy and unconditional positive regard. In CBT, the therapist often emphasizes identifying and changing unhelpful thoughts and behaviors. Explain one similarity between these approaches.
One similarity is that both approaches use a professional helping relationship to support the client's mental health. Both can help clients understand themselves and make changes that improve daily functioning. - 10
A therapist and client create a chart with three columns: Situation, Automatic Thought, and Alternative Thought. What CBT skill is the client practicing, and why might it help?
The chart is used to examine thoughts, not to ignore feelings.
The client is practicing cognitive restructuring. It may help because the client learns to notice automatic thoughts, evaluate whether they are accurate or helpful, and replace them with more balanced thoughts. - 11
Why are confidentiality and informed consent important in therapy?
Confidentiality helps clients feel safer sharing personal information, while informed consent explains what treatment involves, including goals, risks, limits, and the client's rights. Both are important ethical protections. - 12
A researcher wants to know whether a new treatment reduces anxiety symptoms. Describe one way the researcher could design a fair study.
A fair study should compare groups and measure outcomes clearly.
The researcher could randomly assign participants to receive the new treatment or a comparison treatment, measure anxiety symptoms before and after treatment, and use the same measurement method for each group. - 13
Some people use both therapy and medication as part of a treatment plan. Explain why a combined approach may be helpful for certain conditions or individuals.
A combined approach may be helpful because medication can reduce symptoms that make daily life difficult, while therapy can teach coping skills, problem-solving strategies, and ways to change patterns of thinking and behavior. - 14
Explain why culture, family beliefs, language, and access to care can affect mental health treatment.
Treatment does not happen in isolation from a person's life and community.
These factors can affect how a person understands symptoms, whether they feel comfortable seeking help, how they communicate with a provider, and whether treatment is available or affordable. Effective care should respect the person's background and needs. - 15
Look at a treatment progress graph where symptom scores decrease from 18 to 8 over eight weeks. What does the trend suggest, and what is one caution about interpreting the graph?
A trend can show change, but cause and effect need stronger evidence.
The trend suggests that symptoms decreased during the eight weeks, which may mean the treatment was helpful. A caution is that the graph alone does not prove the treatment caused the improvement because other factors could also have influenced the change.