Access to HE Diploma: Abnormal Psychology Models and Treatments

This assignment explores the evaluation of different models of abnormality, focusing on the biomedical, behavioral, and cognitive models. It delves into the strengths, weaknesses, advantages, and disadvantages of each model in explaining and treating abnormal behavior. The report analyzes how these models approach conditions like schizophrenia, anxiety, depression, and phobias, and discusses the application of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT). It examines the effectiveness of each approach, including the use of scientific methods, the role of cognitive processes, and the ethical considerations involved. References to various research papers support the analysis, offering a comprehensive overview of the models and their implications for mental health treatment. The report also discusses the advantages and disadvantages of each model, providing a critical perspective on their application and effectiveness in treating various psychological disorders.

Running head: ABNORMAL PSYCHOLOGY
Abnormal Psychology
Name of the student:
Name of the university:
Author Note

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Demonstrating and analyzing how behavioral, bio medical and cognitive models
evaluates and can treat the abnormal behavior:
The abnormality is defined as the deviation from the ideal state of mental health. It indicates
that instead of defining what is abnormal the psychologists define that what s ideal or normal mental
health. Besides, it is anything deviating from that is indicated as abnormal. The following study
concentrates on the analysis of detailed strengths, weaknesses, benefits and drawbacks. Apart from
that, the instance of biomedical model to be suited better for schizophrenia and many more is also
demonstrated. Apart from, that cognitive abnormal psychology is analyzed as per emotional, anxiety
and depression. Moreover, the phobias under various behaviors and CBT are discussed here.
Detailed evaluation how the models can explain and provide treatment to abnormal behavior:
Bio medical models:
The main strengths of it is that can provide the explanation of the mental ill-health. This is
experienced by many with mental health issues seeking the reassuring as that can be the initial
strategy towards recovery. Apart from that, it is suited better to schizophrenia. The drawback is that
the reason of mental sickness is present under the individual such that the concentration of treatment
stays on different bodily symptoms (Kring and Johnson 2018). Besides, there is the focus on what
has been normal such the medical judgments find that that is never normal. The advantage lies in the
fact that there is rise in life expectancy of population as the treatments progresses. This is effective to
treat common issues and make the people return to healthy state. Again, it leads to the development
in medical technology and improve the life’s quality for the people having chronic situations trough
medications and so on. However, the weakness is that there is sue of advanced medical technology
and effective health system for diagnosis and treating conditions that is expensive for the

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governments (Sauer-Zavala, Wilner and Barlow 2017). Apart from that, it never address the factors
leading to development of special health conditions. Every conditions of health cannot be cured.
Nonetheless, it could be managed frequently through behavior changes that is not considered by the
model. Providing payments for the medications and the treatments through biomedical measure is
costly for the people.
Cognitive model:
This look at the though process that is been ignored from the side of other psychologists,
especially behaviorists. Here, the processes like perception, attention and memory is been studies
since they have the influence of the behavior. The theories are applicable to the cognitive therapies
like the Rational Emotive Therapy. The therapy is successful to change various irrational thinking to
rational ones such that the behavior can develop (Barlow, Allen and Choate 2016). However, its
drawback is that it is reductionist in nature. Here, one instance of it is that it decrease the behavior of
human beings down to distinct individual processes like attention and memory. It is a type of
weakness as human beings are products of every process that are working together and never only
individual parts. Besides, it is much mechanical in nature. This compares the human beings to the
computers such that they have same type of process. It is the weakness since the human beings are
more complicated that machines like emotions are able to impact the output of human beings
(Goldschmidt et al. 2018).
Regarding the advantages there are the research supports. There are clear cut proofs for the
dysfunctional beliefs and thinking during anxiety and depression disorders. For instance, the Abela
seen in students has determined the risks during depression because of the dysfunctional attitudes for
the one who never gain their choice of university. This doubled their capability and the thinking
gave rise to depression. It suggests the cognitive reason towards depression (Butcher, Mineka and

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Hooley 2017). Then, there are power to change. This is a positive measure due to the empowerment
of individuals. The reason is that one generate their individual thoughts and the model can perceive
the individual with various psychological disorder since possessing the capability to alter the
individual cognitions. It provides the capability to undergo change and rise the belief on oneself and
then take the liability to change the behaviors that are undesirable (Pila et al. 2019). Nonetheless, the
drawback lies in the cause or effects. The model is unable to explain whether the dysfunctional type
of thinking results in depression or the depression give rise to dysfunctional thinking. This is
complicated to establish what has been coming first since are able to research as the abnormality is
been developed. It is seen that though the cognitive process is included are various psychological
disorders, they are results instead of the root reason of the issue. Here, the individuals are liable and
hence different situational factors can be overlooked (Mackay 2018). Apart from that, it is criticized
as this raises different ethical queries regarding what people have the audacity to state that anyone’s
belief is especially faulty as the life experience of the person can support the adverse view about that
world. The cognitive mode never considers how the vents of life and family issues are contributed to
psychological disorders.
Behavioral model:
This has been applying the operant and classical conditioning to the theories. The systematic
desensitization lies on the basis of classical conditioning and helpful to treat phobias. Apart from
that, it make use of scientific methods of research as the experiments are been objective in nature,
observable and measurable. Here, one instance OF it is the “Bandura's bobo doll study of
aggression”. However, its weakness that is concentrates much on the nurture end of nurture or nature
database. This also suggests that every behavior can be learnt and the biological ad cognitive
elements can be proved to influence the behavior. Again, the ethical concerns that are been raised

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through utilizing the animals in the experiments. The reason is that the animals are unable consent in
taking part and can ever withdraw. Here, the instance of behavioral study of animals is the dg of
Pavlov leading to the classical conditioning guidelines that are been developed. Regarding the
advantages, its cost is relatively less than others (Miles 2018). Apart from that it concentrates in real
behavior. Besides, it has the positive effect at workplace and develop the individual success and
reach the desired outcomes of the organization. This helps the staffs to identify suitable activities
during work and then get engaged in positive ways. The staffs influenced through positive trends for
displaying the learning at the workplace and greater mobility level. Again, the mentor are able to
satisfy themselves from delivering the positive kind of instructions to the staffs (Moos 2018).
Nevertheless, the behavior modelling lacks adequate theory. It makes the trainees left unable to
evaluate the principles and concepts. Apart from that, through considering the characteristics of the
behavior modeling has been repeating the behaviors. Thus the class might fail to attract sufficient
concentration. Thus the modelling looks at the external environment appearing to have effective
impact on the mental sickness. Nonetheless, it is also down to the biological reasons and is never
clear cut what one this has down to (Burke et al. 2018).
Understanding of CBT:
The CBT or Cognitive Behavioral Therapy is a popular psychotherapy or talk therapy. This
helps to stay aware of the negative or inaccurate thinking such that one can see the problematic case
clearly and react to those in efficient manner. This is also a useful tool both alone and in
combination with various other type of therapies for treating the disorders of mental health
(Robichaud, Koerner and Dugas 2019). Examples of this include the eating disorder, PTSD or Post-
Traumatic Stress disorder and depression. However, every people can ever get advantage from the
CBT having the condition of mental health. This is also efficient for helping any person to

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understand how to manage any stressful situation in life. There are various disorders that must
improve through CBT. Instances of that include schizophrenia, bipolar disorders, substance use
disorders, obsessive-compulsive disorder or OCD, eating disorders, sleep disorders, PTSD, phobias,
anxiety disorders and depression (Hooley et al. 2017).
The psychological treatment is delivered through various settings. The common kinds of
treatments are the pharmacological treatment and psychotherapy. The later one come in various
theoretical format and orientation. Here, most common type of orientation of treatments are
integrated, biomedical, cognitive, behavioural, humanistic and psychodynamic. It is suggested by
researches that it commonly helps the patients in making positive type of changes in the lives.
However, there are few kinds of treatments efficient for specific condition than the others. Smart
programs of prevention can decrease the factors of environmental risks for the mental sickness and
create the strengths. The efforts of prevention concentrates to promote health, develop competence
and resilience. Individuals struggling must understand that here is the hope. Every situation could be
effectively manages with proper assimilation of options of treatments. Various disorders could be
able to overcome the prolonged cases despite the usage of medicine. Possibly it is the complicated
step of the treatment to acknowledge that one have the issue and take the initial step for seeking the
help. Nonetheless, having the courage and humility one can experience improvement and relief.

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References:
Barlow, D.H., Allen, L.B. and Choate, M.L., 2016. Toward a unified treatment for emotional
disorders–republished article. Behavior therapy, 47(6), pp.838-853.
Burke, N.L., Karam, A.M., Tanofsky-Kraff, M. and Wilfley, D.E., 2018. Interpersonal
psychotherapy for the treatment of eating disorders.
Butcher, J.N., Mineka, S. and Hooley, J.M., 2017. Abnormal psychology. Pearson Education India.
Goldschmidt, A.B., Crosby, R.D., Cao, L., Moessner, M., Forbush, K.T., Accurso, E.C. and Le
Grange, D., 2018. Network analysis of pediatric eating disorder symptoms in a treatment-seeking,
transdiagnostic sample. Journal of abnormal psychology, 127(2), p.251.
Hooley, J.M., Butcher, J.N., Nock, M. and Mineka, S., 2017. Abnormal psychology. Edinburgh:
Pearson.
Kring, A.M. and Johnson, S.L., 2018. Abnormal psychology: The science and treatment of
psychological disorders. John Wiley & Sons.
Mackay, D., 2018. Clinical psychology: theory and therapy. Routledge.
Miles, L., 2018. LibGuides: PSY 142-Abnormal Psychology-Textbook: Anxiety and Related
Disorders.
Moos, R.H., 2018. Evaluating treatment environments: The quality of psychiatric and substance
abuse programs. Routledge.

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Pila, E., Murray, S.B., Le Grange, D., Sawyer, S.M. and Hughes, E.K., 2019. Reciprocal relations
between dietary restraint and negative affect in adolescents receiving treatment for anorexia nervosa.
Journal of abnormal psychology, 128(2), p.129.
Robichaud, M., Koerner, N. and Dugas, M.J., 2019. Cognitive behavioral treatment for generalized
anxiety disorder: From science to practice. Routledge.
Sauer-Zavala, S., Wilner, J.G. and Barlow, D.H., 2017. Addressing neuroticism in psychological
treatment. Personality Disorders: Theory, Research, and Treatment, 8(3), p.191.