Addiction UNIT 4: PSYA4

Content The Psychology of Addictive Behaviour Models of Addictive Behaviour  Biological, cognitive and learning approaches to explaining initiation, maintenance and relapse, and their applications to smoking and gambling. Vulnerability to Addiction  Risk factors in the development of addiction, including stress, peers, age and personality.  Media influences on addictive behaviour. Reducing Addictive Behaviour  The theory of planned behaviour as a model for addiction prevention.  Types of intervention and their effectiveness, including biological, psychological and public health interventions.

Cognitive Approach Cognition is thinking. Cognitive models emphasize the processes that control mental functions. The cognitive model suggests that people initiate and maintain addictive behaviour, and relapse into that behaviour because of the way that they think and interpret information.

Basic principles of the cognitive approach Addictive behaviour is due to faulty thought processes and irrational cognitive biases. All individuals are equally susceptible to developing an addictive behaviour. Individuals are most susceptible to addiction during the maintenance phase.

Cognitive explanations of addiction 1. Coping – mood regulation, performance enhancement and distraction. 2. Expectancies – what we expect to happen from addictive behaviour (costs/benefits). 3. Self-efficacy - Our beliefs in ourselves and whether we believe that we are capable of dealing with the effects of the addictive behaviour.

Beck et al (2001) – ‘Vicious circle’ Low mood (depression) Addictive behaviour Financial/Medical/Social problems A low mood can be relieved by engaging in the addictive behaviour. However this can lead to financial, social or medical problems which in turn lead to low mood.

Cognitive approach to smoking addiction Read the initiation stage of smoking addiction according to the cognitive approach. Highlight the key terms. Read the study to support the initiation stage and explain why it supports the cognitive approach. Q&A.

Cognitive approach to smoking addiction Read the maintenance stage of smoking addiction according to the cognitive approach. Highlight the key terms. Draw a visual representation of Beck et al’s ‘vicious circle’ for the maintenance of smoking. Q&A.

Cognitive approach to smoking addiction Read the relapse stage of smoking addiction according to the cognitive approach. Highlight the key terms. Read the study to support the relapse stage and explain why it supports the cognitive approach. Q&A.

Cognitive approach to gambling addiction Read the initiation and maintenance stages of gambling addiction according to the cognitive approach. Highlight the key terms. Summarise the maintenance explanation in your booklets. Q&A.

Cognitive approach to gambling addiction Read the relapse stage of gambling addiction according to the cognitive approach. Highlight the key terms. Complete the gap fill of key study (Griffiths, 1994). Q&A.

Independent task Read the study in your booklet by Toneatto (1999). Be ready for Q&A!!!

Evaluation of cognitive approach Can explain individual differences. People may engage in same activity but addiction only occurs in some people. Cognitive explanations account for these differences – those who develop faulty cognitive biases may be more likely to develop an addiction!!!

Evaluation of cognitive approach Problems of cause and effect. It has been suggestion that psychological symptoms (i.e. depression) come before addictive behaviour. However it could be that the medical/social/financial costs of the addictive behaviour led to the depression. In other words, which came first???

Evaluation of cognitive approach Implications for treatment. Evidence that there is more than one motivation for addictive behaviours, therefore should be differing approaches to their treatment. E.g. if self-medicating addicts, more beneficial to treat underlying problem first before attempting to get them to quit the addiction. If addiction due to irrational beliefs then maybe cognitive therapy would be more appropriate in the hope to correct the cognitive errors.

Exam focus Complete the gap fill activity in your booklet – model exam answer for cognitive approach to smoking addiction. Write a model answer for the past-exam question in your booklet – ‘Outline the cognitive explanation of gambling addiction’ – 5 marks!!!

Consolidation task Complete the gap fill overview of the three approaches to addictive behaviour. Q&A!

Plenary: Pair task Read the case study on Katie and, on lined paper, discuss and make notes on how each approach would explain Katie’s addictive behaviour. 10 minutes then class feedback!!!

Homework Essay structure – June 2012 – Cognitive approach and gambling – 10 marks. Summary table of addiction.