The goal of the Treatment of Psychological Disorders segment of this module is to review the techniques that are used to treat psychological disorders. Just as psychologists consider the causes of disorder in terms of the bio-psycho-social model of illness, treatment is also based on psychological, biological, and social approaches.

• The psychological approach to reducing disorder involves providing help to individuals or families through psychological therapy, including psychoanalysis, humanistic-oriented therapy, cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), and other approaches.
• The biomedical approach to reducing disorders is based on the use of medications to treat mental disorders such as schizophrenia, depression, and anxiety, and the employment of brain intervention techniques, including electroconvulsive therapy (ECT), transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS), and psychosurgery.
• The social approach to reducing disorder focuses on changing the social environment in which individuals live to reduce the underlying causes of the disorder. These approaches include group, couples, and family therapy, as well as community outreach programs. The community approach is likely to be the most effective of the three approaches because it focuses not only on treatment but also on the prevention of disorders (World Health Organization, 2004)¹. (Image Credit tronvillain Wikimedia licensed CC-BY-SA 4.0)

Upon completion of this module, you will be able to:

1) Outline and differentiate the psychodynamic, humanistic, behavioral, and cognitive approaches to psychotherapy.

2) Classify the different types of drugs used in the treatment of mental disorders and explain how they each work to reduce disorder.

3) Critically evaluate direct brain intervention methods that may be used by doctors to treat patients who do not respond to drugs or other therapy.

4) Explain the advantages of group therapy and self-help groups for treating disorders.

5) Recognize the goal of substance-related and addictive disorders treatment

6). Summarize the ways that scientists evaluate the effectiveness of psychological, behavioral, and community service approaches to preventing and reducing disorders.

1. Read the Module 7 Introduction
   
2. Read and view the materials in the Module 7 Pressbooks book
   
3. Complete all activities in the module

Module Pressbooks Resources and Activities