Practise diagnosing impulse-control disorders, comparing dopamine, reinforcement and feeling-state accounts, and applying drug or cognitive-behavioural treatments.
Kleptomania can be assessed using the Kleptomania Symptom Assessment Scale (K-SAS).
State one question used on the K-SAS.
State one question used on the K-SAS.
Syllabus 1.3.1 measure of impulse control disorders: Kleptomania Symptom Assessment Scale (K-SAS).
Award 1 mark for partial answer.
Award 2 marks for full answer.
Definitive answer:
1 If you had urges to steal during the past WEEK, on average, how strong were your urges?
During the past WEEK,
2 how many times did you experience urges to steal?
3 how many hours (add up hours) were you preoccupied with your urges to steal?
4 how much were you able to control your urges?
5 how often did thoughts about stealing come up?
6 approximately how many hours (add up hours) did you spend thinking about stealing?
7 how much were you able to control your thoughts of stealing?
8 on average, how much tension or excitement did you have shortly before you committed a theft? If you did not actually steal anything, please estimate how much anticipatory tension or excitement you believe you would have experienced, if you had committed a theft.
9 on average, how much excitement and pleasure did you feel when you successfully committed a theft? If you did not actually steal, please estimate how much excitement and pleasure you believe you would have experienced if you had committed a theft.
10 how much emotional distress (mental pain or anguish, shame, guilt, embarrassment) has your stealing caused you?
11 how much personal trouble (relationship, financial, legal, job, medical or health) has your stealing caused you?
12 how many times did you steal?
NOTE: marks awarded for 'closed question responses' i.e. scale to answer question. See attached.
Covert sensitisation is a treatment for impulse control disorders.
Outline how one study used covert sensitisation to treat a participant (e.g. Glover, 1985).
Outline how one study used covert sensitisation to treat a participant (e.g. Glover, 1985).
Award 2 marks for a detailed outline.
Award 1 mark for a partial outline.
Answers may include:
From the study by Glover:
It was decided to use imagery of nausea and vomiting paired with the act of stealing. Episodes of imagery were used involving increasing nausea as she approached an article in a supermarket which she intended to steal, leading to vomiting as she lifted the article, with other shoppers' attention being attracted to her. The vomiting and other unpleasant sensations ceased as soon as she replaced the article, turned away and left the shop.
Other appropriate responses to be credited.
Explain two strengths of psychological treatments, such as covert sensitisation, for kleptomania.
Syllabus 1.3.3 Psychological (cognitive-behavioural) therapies including: - covert sensitisation, including a study, e.g. Glover (1985)
- imaginal desensitisation, including a study, e.g. Blaszczynski and Nower (2003).
Up to 2 marks for each strength × 2 .
Award 2 marks for an appropriate strength stated and applied as required by the question with detail / elaboration / example.
Award 1 mark for an appropriate strength stated but not applied.
Answers may include:
- Technique can be applied by anyone, in any place at any time (1) so the 'patient' can apply the technique themselves when they are exposed to a situation where they might be tempted to steal an item (2).
- As no medication is taken, the patient cannot become addicted to medication (1) unlike other biochemical treatments (2).
- Behavioural techniques are more likely to be generalised because all people can learn and 'unlearn' following the same principles (1) meaning that the principles of covert sensitisation can be generalised to not only people with kleptomania but other impulse control disorders (2).
Other appropriate responses to be credited.