Specialist Option 1: Clinical Psychology

Specialist Option 1: Clinical Psychology.

• Clinical psychology is the study of a range of mental and behavioural disorders/conditions and the potential explanations and available treatments for them. There are many competing explanations and treatments for the conditions/disorders. Candidates will be expected to understand the strengths and weaknesses of these explanations and treatments and compare them with each other. Candidates should have the opportunity to explore the different issues and debates relevant to the psychological theories and concepts and the research methods used to investigate these conditions/disorders. For all topics and studies, candidates should be able to:.
• describe, evaluate and compare the psychological theories, research, approaches, explanations and treatments/therapies.
• describe and evaluate research methods and methodological concepts (for AS and A Level).
• consider how the topic area relates to psychological issues and debates (for AS and A Level).

This matters because clinical psychology overview determines what can be inferred or chosen; begin with the stated conditions and keep the conclusion tied to the evidence.

Example: apply clinical psychology overview to one small, clearly defined case, show the key step or comparison, and explain the result in words.

Boundary: Clinical Psychology overview is not a universal recommendation. Check the syllabus scope, assumptions, units and the limits of the evidence before generalising.

Key studies for Clinical Psychology.

• Freeman, D, Slater, M, Bebbington, P E, Garety, P A, Kuipers, E, Fowler, D, Met, A, Read, C, Jordan, J and.
• Vinayagamoorthy, V (2003), Can virtual reality be used to investigate persecutory ideation? The Journal of.
• Nervous and Mental Disease, 191(8): 509-14.
• Oruč, L, Verheyen, G R, Furac, I, Jakovljević, M, Ivezić, S, Raeymaekers, P and Broeckhoven, C V (1997),.

This matters because clinical psychology key studies determines what can be inferred or chosen; begin with the stated conditions and keep the conclusion tied to the evidence.

Example: apply clinical psychology key studies to one small, clearly defined case, show the key step or comparison, and explain the result in words.

Boundary: Clinical Psychology key studies is not a universal recommendation. Check the syllabus scope, assumptions, units and the limits of the evidence before generalising.

For each key study, candidates should know, understand and evaluate.

• the context of the study and relationship to other studies.
• the main theories/explanations included in the study.
• the aim(s) and hypotheses of the study [if stated].
• the design of the study, including all methodology as appropriate, such as the research method(s) used, sample size and demographics [if known] and sampling technique [if known], procedure, technique for data collection.

This matters because clinical psychology key-study requirements determines what can be inferred or chosen; begin with the stated conditions and keep the conclusion tied to the evidence.

Example: apply clinical psychology key-study requirements to one small, clearly defined case, show the key step or comparison, and explain the result in words.

Boundary: Clinical Psychology key-study requirements is not a universal recommendation. Check the syllabus scope, assumptions, units and the limits of the evidence before generalising.

1.1.1 Diagnostic criteria for schizophrenia.

• diagnostic criteria (ICD-11) of schizophrenia, including symptoms (positive and negative). A case study of schizophrenia.
• types of delusions focusing on investigating delusions using virtual reality (exemplified by the following key study).
• Key study using virtual reality to investigate persecutory ideation: Freeman et al. (2003).
• Relevant issues and debates and methodology for this topic include: individual and situational explanations, idiographic versus nomothetic, case studies, generalisations.

This matters because —diagnostic criteria for schizophrenia determines what can be inferred or chosen; begin with the stated conditions and keep the conclusion tied to the evidence.

Example: apply —diagnostic criteria for schizophrenia to one small, clearly defined case, show the key step or comparison, and explain the result in words.

Boundary: —Diagnostic criteria for schizophrenia is not a universal recommendation. Check the syllabus scope, assumptions, units and the limits of the evidence before generalising.

1.1.2 Explanations of schizophrenia.

• biological explanations:.
• genetic.
• biochemical (the dopamine hypothesis).
• psychological (cognitive) explanation.

This matters because —explanations of schizophrenia determines what can be inferred or chosen; begin with the stated conditions and keep the conclusion tied to the evidence.

Example: apply —explanations of schizophrenia to one small, clearly defined case, show the key step or comparison, and explain the result in words.

Boundary: —Explanations of schizophrenia is not a universal recommendation. Check the syllabus scope, assumptions, units and the limits of the evidence before generalising.

1.1.3 Treatment and management of schizophrenia.

• biological treatments:.
• biochemical including typical and atypical antipsychotics.
• electro-convulsive therapy.
• psychological therapy: cognitive-behavioural therapy, including a study, e.g. Sensky et al. (2000).

This matters because —treatment and management of schizophrenia determines what can be inferred or chosen; begin with the stated conditions and keep the conclusion tied to the evidence.

Example: apply —treatment and management of schizophrenia to one small, clearly defined case, show the key step or comparison, and explain the result in words.

Boundary: —Treatment and management of schizophrenia is not a universal recommendation. Check the syllabus scope, assumptions, units and the limits of the evidence before generalising.

1.2.1 Diagnostic criteria for mood (affective) disorders.

• diagnostic criteria (ICD-11) of mood disorders: depressive disorder (unipolar) and bipolar disorders including manic and depressive episodes.
• measure of depression: Beck depression inventory.
• Relevant issues and debates and methodology for this topic include: individual and situational explanations, cultural differences, quantitative and qualitative data, psychometrics, validity.

This matters because —mood disorder criteria determines what can be inferred or chosen; begin with the stated conditions and keep the conclusion tied to the evidence.

Example: apply —mood disorder criteria to one small, clearly defined case, show the key step or comparison, and explain the result in words.

Boundary: —Mood disorder criteria is not a universal recommendation. Check the syllabus scope, assumptions, units and the limits of the evidence before generalising.

1.2.2 Explanations of mood (affective) disorders: depressive disorder (unipolar).

• biological explanations:.
• biochemical.
• genetic (exemplified by the following key study).
• Key study on association analysis of genetics of depressive disorder: Oruč et al. (1997).

This matters because —mood disorder explanations determines what can be inferred or chosen; begin with the stated conditions and keep the conclusion tied to the evidence.

Example: apply —mood disorder explanations to one small, clearly defined case, show the key step or comparison, and explain the result in words.

Boundary: —Mood disorder explanations is not a universal recommendation. Check the syllabus scope, assumptions, units and the limits of the evidence before generalising.

1.2.3 Treatment and management of mood (affective) disorders.

• biological treatments including the use of anti-depressants (tricyclics, MAOIs and SSRIs).
• psychological therapies:.
• Beck's cognitive restructuring.
• Ellis's rational emotive behaviour therapy (REBT).

This matters because —mood disorder treatments determines what can be inferred or chosen; begin with the stated conditions and keep the conclusion tied to the evidence.

Example: apply —mood disorder treatments to one small, clearly defined case, show the key step or comparison, and explain the result in words.

Boundary: —Mood disorder treatments is not a universal recommendation. Check the syllabus scope, assumptions, units and the limits of the evidence before generalising.

1.3.1 Diagnostic criteria for impulse control disorders.

• diagnostic criteria (ICD-11) of impulse control disorders:.
• kleptomania.
• pyromania.
• gambling disorder.

This matters because —criteria for impulse control disorders determines what can be inferred or chosen; begin with the stated conditions and keep the conclusion tied to the evidence.

Example: apply —criteria for impulse control disorders to one small, clearly defined case, show the key step or comparison, and explain the result in words.

Boundary: —Criteria for impulse control disorders is not a universal recommendation. Check the syllabus scope, assumptions, units and the limits of the evidence before generalising.

1.3.2 Explanations of impulse control disorders.

• biological explanation: dopamine.
• psychological explanations:.
• behavioural: positive reinforcement.
• cognitive: Miller's feeling-state theory.

This matters because —explanations of impulse control disorders determines what can be inferred or chosen; begin with the stated conditions and keep the conclusion tied to the evidence.

Example: apply —explanations of impulse control disorders to one small, clearly defined case, show the key step or comparison, and explain the result in words.

Boundary: —Explanations of impulse control disorders is not a universal recommendation. Check the syllabus scope, assumptions, units and the limits of the evidence before generalising.

1.3.3 Treatment and management of impulse control disorders.

• biological treatments (exemplified by the following key study).
• Key study on treating gambling disorder with drugs and placebo: Grant et al. (2008).
• psychological (cognitive-behavioural) therapies including:.
• covert sensitisation, including a study, e.g. Glover (1985).

This matters because —treatment of impulse control disorders determines what can be inferred or chosen; begin with the stated conditions and keep the conclusion tied to the evidence.

Example: apply —treatment of impulse control disorders to one small, clearly defined case, show the key step or comparison, and explain the result in words.

Boundary: —Treatment of impulse control disorders is not a universal recommendation. Check the syllabus scope, assumptions, units and the limits of the evidence before generalising.

1.4.1 Diagnostic criteria for anxiety disorders and fear-related disorders.

• diagnostic criteria (ICD-11) of anxiety disorders and fear-related disorders:.
• generalised anxiety disorder.
• agoraphobia.
• specific phobia (blood-injection-injury).

This matters because —anxiety criteria determines what can be inferred or chosen; begin with the stated conditions and keep the conclusion tied to the evidence.

Example: apply —anxiety criteria to one small, clearly defined case, show the key step or comparison, and explain the result in words.

Boundary: —Anxiety criteria is not a universal recommendation. Check the syllabus scope, assumptions, units and the limits of the evidence before generalising.

1.4.2 Explanations of fear-related disorders.

• biological explanation: genetic, including a study, e.g. Öst (1992).
• psychological explanations:.
• behavioural (classical conditioning), including a study, e.g. Watson and Rayner (1920) 'Little Albert'.
• psychodynamic, including a study, e.g. Freud (1909) 'Little Hans'.

This matters because —fear-related explanations determines what can be inferred or chosen; begin with the stated conditions and keep the conclusion tied to the evidence.

Example: apply —fear-related explanations to one small, clearly defined case, show the key step or comparison, and explain the result in words.

Boundary: —Fear-related explanations is not a universal recommendation. Check the syllabus scope, assumptions, units and the limits of the evidence before generalising.

1.4.3 Treatment and management of anxiety disorders and fear-related disorders.

• behavioural therapy: systematic desensitisation applied to any fear-related disorder.
• psychological therapy (exemplified by the following key study):.
• cognitive-behavioural therapy (CBT).
• applied tension focusing on treating blood-injection-injury phobia.

This matters because —anxiety treatments determines what can be inferred or chosen; begin with the stated conditions and keep the conclusion tied to the evidence.

Example: apply —anxiety treatments to one small, clearly defined case, show the key step or comparison, and explain the result in words.

Boundary: —Anxiety treatments is not a universal recommendation. Check the syllabus scope, assumptions, units and the limits of the evidence before generalising.

1.5.1 Diagnostic criteria for obsessive-compulsive disorder.

• diagnostic criteria for obsessive-compulsive disorder (ICD-11) focusing on types of obsessions and compulsions, including a study, e.g. Rapoport (1989) 'Charles'.
• measures:.
• Maudsley Obsessive-Compulsive Inventory (MOCI).
• Yale-Brown Obsessive-Compulsive Scale (Y-BOCS).

This matters because —ocd criteria determines what can be inferred or chosen; begin with the stated conditions and keep the conclusion tied to the evidence.

Example: apply —ocd criteria to one small, clearly defined case, show the key step or comparison, and explain the result in words.

Boundary: —OCD criteria is not a universal recommendation. Check the syllabus scope, assumptions, units and the limits of the evidence before generalising.

1.5.2 Explanations of obsessive-compulsive disorder.

• biological explanations:.
• biochemical.
• genetic.
• psychological explanations:.

This matters because —ocd explanations determines what can be inferred or chosen; begin with the stated conditions and keep the conclusion tied to the evidence.

Example: apply —ocd explanations to one small, clearly defined case, show the key step or comparison, and explain the result in words.

Boundary: —OCD explanations is not a universal recommendation. Check the syllabus scope, assumptions, units and the limits of the evidence before generalising.

1.5.3 Treatment and management of obsessive-compulsive disorder.

• biological treatments including the use of SSRIs.
• psychological therapies including:.
• exposure and response prevention (ERP), including a study, e.g. Lehmkuhl et al. (2008).
• cognitive-behavioural therapy (CBT) (exemplified by the following key study).

This matters because —ocd treatments determines what can be inferred or chosen; begin with the stated conditions and keep the conclusion tied to the evidence.

Example: apply —ocd treatments to one small, clearly defined case, show the key step or comparison, and explain the result in words.

Boundary: —OCD treatments is not a universal recommendation. Check the syllabus scope, assumptions, units and the limits of the evidence before generalising.