1) According to Kring, Johnson, David, and Neale (2014), "the interaction between a predisposition toward disease--the diathesis--and environmental, or life, disturbances--the stress" accounts for the development of psychopathology (p. 58). If you read about all the paradigms (e.g., genetic, neuroscience, and cognitive behavioral) carefully, each paradigm is alluding to this similar phenomenon. Cite one principle/example from each paradigm that points to the same interactions (i.e., gene-environment, neuroscience-environment, and cognition-environment). Make sure your example is solid and the rationale for your example is well thought-through. Ideas that are different from other students and add to the discussions are most appreciated.
Kring, A. M., Johnson, S., Davison, G. C., Neale, J. M. (2014). Abnormal psychology - DSM-5 update (12th ed.). Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons. (ISBN: 978-1-118-64088-3).
2) Design a Study: Comparing the benefits of Dyadic Group Therapy for Anxiety and Schizophrenia patients
For the last several years Dr. William has been developing and promoting his Dyadic Group Therapy (DGT) for the treatment of individuals with social anxiety. The treatment involves twice-weekly therapy sessions for each patient for 16 weeks. There is one therapist and 4 patients in each group. The first session each week is the Dyadic Therapy Session that involves a meeting of just the therapist and an individual patient (the therapist meets each of the four patients in the group at different times). During the 30-minute Dyadic Therapy Session the patient answers a scripted set of questions posed by the therapist (the topics shift each week according to a specific order that is detailed in the DGT Handbook). The second session each week is the Group Therapy Session that involves a meeting of the therapist and all four patients in that group. During the 90 minute Group Therapy Session the patients take turns answering the same questions that they answered in the Dyadic Therapy Session. The idea is that during the Group Therapy Sessions patients will be familiar with the questions and the therapist, and can concentrate on getting used to talking in front of and with other people.
Last month, Dr. William learned that two of his colleagues (who practice together) were using DGT to treat patients diagnosed with mild-to-moderate schizophrenia. Their idea is that the Dyadic Therapy Session provides "social skills practice" that will then be applied during the Group Therapy Session. They have conducted some research with their patients and claim that the DGT therapy is beneficial.
Dr. William's question now is whether DGT works better for patients with one of these diagnoses versus the other? Specifically, his hypothesis is that patients being treated for Anxiety using DGT will produce higher scores on the General Psychiatric Wellness Index (GPWI) than patients being treated for schizophrenia using DGT.
question.jpg Please design an empirical test of Dr. William research hypothesis. Dr. William has arranged the cooperation of his clinic and that of his colleagues'. As a researcher, you have access to their patients. They will deliver the DGT treatment using the standardized procedure to the patients you indicate. They will have the GPWI administered and scored by an independent testing service on the date(s) that you specify. Propose a research design to answer this question. Provide details of participant selection, assignment, treatment provision, controls to provide internal validity, and how the decisions might influence external validity (don't worry about measurement or statistical conclusion validity for this exercise). Details and specifics are the goal -- use correct terminology and procedural names as much as possible.
Kring, A. M., Johnson, S., Davison, G. C., Neale, J. M. (2014). Abnormal psychology - DSM-5 update (12th ed.). Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons. (ISBN: 978-1-118-64088-3).