Positive Psychology
Scientific study of the strengths that enable individuals and communities to thrive
"Psychology is NOT just the study of disease, weakness, and damage; it also is the study of strength and virtue.”
“Treatment is not just fixing what is wrong; it also is building what is right”
Name two activities a health psychologist might be engaged in
What are:
▪Design and apply programs to promote wellness
▪Research and application of factors that affect wellness
▪Teach relaxation and coping skills
Name and refute two common misconceptions about the NGRI defense
What are:
1. The defense is used frequently
Actually, less than 1% of felony jury trials involve an NGRI defense
2. The defense is often successful
Only about 25% result in a NGRI verdict
3. Defendant is released after trial
Usually institutionalized for as long or longer than a typical sentence
Release is conditional upon rehabilitation
4. Those using this defense are highly dangerous
Usually not as dangerous as people think
This is the main ethical issue when it comes to group therapy and how we deal with it
What is confidentiality
We do what we can
Acknowledge that another client violating confidentiality is a possibility but give reminders of the importance of confidentiality
model impeccable behavior surrounding confidentiality
discuss within the group if confidentiality violations do occur
When we treat clients in a forensic setting, rather than reducing mental disorder symptoms, this is our primary focus
Reducing recidivism
Life Satisfaction = positive affect + engagement + meaning
Pleasure (PA) has marginal contribution
Life Satisfaction → Health & longevity
This technique is used to help patients achieve control over body by educating patients about mind body processes (involves using sensors to measure body functions, patient sees this info on screen, and adjusts what they do to see if it lowers stress)
What is biofeedback
Name and describe the two methods forensic psychologists use to assess for risk/dangerousness
What are:
Clinical prediction methods: use psychological tests, clinical interviews, clinical experience, and their personal judgments to make determinations of future dangerousness
Statistical prediction methods: use comparisons of individuals’ characteristics with known correlations to future dangerousness
This is the main idea behind group therapy
What is
Group therapists highlight the way group members feel, communicate, and form relationship with one another, so that group members can learn and apply those lessons to their day to day social interactions
This is the guy at the forefront of the contemporary positive psychology movement
Martin Seligman
You've been eyeing a new pair of sunglasses. You finally got them and you're so pleased! After about a year, though, you don't really care as much. Now you're eyeing another pair that you think will make you happier. This process is referred to as...
The hedonic treadmill
What are:
▪Activity increase
▪Behavior change
▪Cognitive change
▪Dietary change
▪Social support
This is the main way that forensic psychology differs from clinical psychology
In clinical psychology, the client is the client. In forensic psychology, the individual you are evaluating may not be the client.
Rather than focusing on assessment and treatment for client's sake, you assess to gather information for legal decision making process
This is the main family therapy we discussed, what it's used for, and how it works
What is Multisystemic Family Therapy (MST)
This therapy reduces antisocial behaviors in youth by making changes in all of the adolescent's systems, including
The adolescent (i.e., individual characteristics)
Family
Peers
School
Community
This refers to a way of dealing with stress that emphasizes taking action regarding the object of concern (e.g., preparing for hurricane)
Problem-focused coping (Sense of control = less stress & pain)
Name and describe 3 positive psychology interventions
Have a beautiful day
Savoring, mindfulness
Gratitude visits
Strengths date
Philanthropy over fun
Name two of the three things that impact stress and coping
What are:
▪Genetic vulnerability to stress
▪Personality (anxiety, hostility, pessimism)
▪Our perception of stress (control, hope)
These are the three main ways that states define insanity (and define one)
1. M'Naghten: emphasizes the cognitive elements of (1) being aware and knowing what one was doing at the time of the illegal act or (2) knowing or realizing right from wrong in the moral sense
2. Brawner / ALI: the disease or mental defect substantially and directly (1) influenced the defendant’s mental or emotional processes, or (2) impaired his or her ability to control behavior
3. Durham rule (product test): Not criminally responsible if the crime was the product/result of a mental disease defect
Name and describe two of the four practical issues that come with group therapy
What are:
Group Membership: Groups typically include 5-10 clients (7-8 ideal); Open enrollment: members can enter and leave at any time vs Closed enrollment: members start and end therapy together
Preparing Clients for Group Therapy: Educate clients and provide realistic and encouraging data about how well their therapy works for clients; Orient clients to the kinds of activities that will take place in group therapy and the behaviors that can maximize the benefit they receive, such as active participation and consistent, punctual attendance
Cotherapists: A good two-person team can be effective (Notice more clients’ reactions, Model collaborative relationship) or not (Cotherapists “step on each others’ toes”)
Socializing between Clients: Could lead to relationships that are stronger than and interfere with the group relationship
This type of evaluation would be used to assess whether defendants understand the legal system and can participate in their own defense
What is competency to stand trial evaluation?
These are the three "happy" lives that Martin Seligman's research has helped identify
What is 1) the pleasant life (positive emotion); 2) the good life (engagement, flow); and 3) the meaningful life (contributing to something bigger than you)
These are the two systems that are responsible for 1) increasing our stress response and 2) regulating the body back to normal levels after a stress response (and describe at least one thing that happens as part of each response)
1. Sympathetic nervous system
- causes stress response (dilates pupils, decreases salivation, increases heart rate, decreases digestive function)
2. Parasympathetic nervous system
- regulates body to normal levels after a stress response (increases salivation, slows heart rate, increases digestive function)
These are the three main things that clinical psychologists do within the legal system
What are
Evaluating criminal defendants’ sanity
Assessing legal competency to stand trial
Serve as expert witnesses
Name and describe three of the five key factors of group therapy
What are:
Universality: “We’re all in the same boat”; Clients with psychological disorders realize they are not alone
Group Cohesiveness: Interconnectedness among group members(like therapeutic alliance but in group setting)
Interpersonal Learning: Lessons learned via interacting with others and learning about their problematic relationship tendencies help one’s own relationships
Social Microcosm: Learning from their own problematic social behaviors in groups is supposed to translate well to their other social relationships
The Here & Now: The most essential task of the group therapist is to continually shine a spotlight on the way that members relate to one another
This is the endocrine pathway that is activated by stress and then leads to our stress response (hormone releases which --> increased heart rate, blood pressure, etc)
What is the hypothalamic pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis