What are the relative advantages and disadvantages of treating depression by antidepressant drugs, psychotherapy, or electroconvulsive therapy?
What will be an ideal response?
Antidepressant drugs and psychotherapy are effective for about the same percentage of people (and both are only moderately more effective than placebos). Antidepressants are demonstrably more effective than placebos only for people with severe depression. Antidepressants are cheaper and more convenient, and they tend to show benefits a bit more quickly. However, antidepressants produce many unpleasant side effects, and the benefits of psychotherapy tend to be more long-lasting. Electroconvulsive therapy is often effective for people who do not respond to either antidepressants or psychotherapy. The benefits of electroconvulsive therapy generally emerge more quickly than the benefits of the other treatments, but they are the least long-lasting. Also, electroconvulsive therapy sometimes causes memory impairments.
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Ray has the diagnosis of acute stress disorder; Bob has been diagnosed as suffering from posttraumatic stress disorder. What is a major difference in their conditions?
a. Bob has had symptoms for longer than Ray has had symptoms. b. Ray's symptoms are the result of a social stressor, not a natural stressor. c. Bob's symptoms involve a greater level of autonomic nervous system activation. d. Ray is likely to have more trouble sleeping than Bob, who is more likely to have appetite difficulties
Barbara wants to lose weight because when she looks at fashion magazines, she sees that all the attractive models are very thin. Which of the following factors is motivating Barbara to diet?
A. social-cultural factors B. under-responsiveness to food C. calories and metabolism D. set point
A "good" theory should encompass and explain a wide range and diversity of phenomena. This statement refers to the theory's:
a. precision. b. testability. c. applied value d. comprehensiveness.
How does television viewing contribute to children being overweight?
a. Children who are heavy TV viewers are less physically active overall. b. It does not contribute to obesity, as obesity is genetically determined. c. It doesn't; it actually curbs appetite. d. It resets the hunger trigger located in the thalamus.