You are asked to case notes on both service users, which evaluates the role of psychological perspectives in helping professionals to understand their behaviour.

P2 Explain how psychological perspectives contribute to the understanding of specific human behaviours.

M1 Analyse the contribution of psychological perspectives to the understanding of human behaviours.

D1 Evaluate the role of psychological perspectives in the understanding of human behaviours.

You now need to apply different psychological perspectives to the 2 case studies:

Understanding Sarah’s Behaviour 

Sarah is 42 years old and regularly attends a Community Psychiatric Clinic for support with her ongoing clinical depression. Sarah was emotionally and physically abused as a child, which has resulted in a low self-image and low self-esteem. She constantly apologises, even though she has done nothing wrong and has days when life does not seem worth living. Sarah has twice attempted suicide.

Introduction - explain Sarah’s case study 

For each psychological perspective:

1. Analyse how the psychological perspective helps to explain Sarah’s behaviour.

2. Evaluate if it fully explains Sarah’s behaviour

Good for all approaches -  https://www.simplypsychology.org/depression.html

Behaviourist, e.g. understanding challenging behaviour, changing/shaping behaviour. https://www.mentalhelp.net/articles/psychology-of-depression-behavioral-theories/

Social learning, e.g. promotion of anti-discriminatory behaviours and practices, use of positive role models in health education campaigns. https://www.mentalhelp.net/articles/cognitive-theories-of-major-depression-ellis-and-bandura/

Psychodynamic, e.g. understanding challenging behaviour, understanding and managing anxiety.

Humanistic, e.g. empathy, respecting other individuals, active listening.

Cognitive, e.g. supporting individuals with learning difficulties, supporting individuals with emotional problems/depression/post-traumatic stress disorder. https://www.mentalhelp.net/articles/cognitive-theories-of-major-depression-aaron-beck/

Biological, e.g. understanding developmental norms, understanding genetic predisposition to certain illnesses or health-related behaviours. https://www.mentalhelp.net/depression/biology-of-depression-neurotransmitters/#:~:text=Depression%20has%20been%20linked%20to,neurotransmitter%20in%20a%20person's%20brain.

Conclusion - Explain which perspective or combination of perspectives helps us to understand Sarah’s behaviour.

Understanding Debbie’s Behaviour 

Debbie is 39 years old and has an Obsessive Compulsive Disorder. She is a voluntary patient on a psychiatric ward at the local NHS Trust. Debbie is obsessed with the need to be clean and has recently been dipping her hands into neat disinfectant, in order to remove the ‘germs’.

He husband ignored this behaviour, until Debbie began to insist that he did the same. The family G.P. feels that Debbie needs to be away from the family and recover in her own time.

Introduction - explain case study 

For each psychological perspective:

1. Analyse how the psychological perspective helps to explain Debbie’s behaviour.

2. Evaluate if it fully explains Debbie’s behaviour.

3. Overall  evaluate which perspective or combination of perspectives best explains Debbie’s behaviour.

P406-414

really good explanation for all approaches 

easy - https://www.ocduk.org/ocd/what-causes-ocd/

more complex - https://www.mentalhelp.net/obsessive-compulsive-spectrum/what-causes-it/

Behaviourist, e.g. understanding challenging behaviour, changing/shaping.

Social learning, e.g. promotion of anti-discriminatory behaviours and practices, use of positive role models in health education campaigns. https://www.mentalhelp.net/obsessive-compulsive-spectrum/sociocultural-explanations

Psychodynamic, e.g. understanding challenging behaviour, understanding and managing anxiety. https://psychcentral.com/ocd/what-causes-obsessive-compulsive-disorder-ocd#1

Humanistic, e.g. empathy, respecting other individuals, active listening. https://courses.lumenlearning.com/wm-abnormalpsych/chapter/psychological-perspectives-on-ocd-and-trauma-related-disorders/

Cognitive, e.g. supporting individuals with learning difficulties, supporting individuals with emotional problems/depression/post-traumatic stress disorder. distorted thinking 

Biological, e.g. understanding developmental norms, understanding genetic predisposition to certain illnesses or health-related behaviours.

Conclusion-Explain which perspective or combination of perspectives helps us to understand Debbie’s behaviour.

Understanding Ahmed’s Behaviour 

Ahmed is 18 years old and has an eating disorder. Ahmed is currently in a specialist treatment centre. He was referred to the unit following concerns about his severe weight loss. It had been discovered, that Ahmed would pretend to eat and then throw the food away when he thought that no one was looking. Ahmed had previously had problems with his weight and had been bullied throughout school, due to his obesity.  He is currently refusing to eat more than a small amount of food during the day.

Introduction - explain case study

For each psychological perspective:

1. . Analyse how the psychological perspective helps to explain Ahmed’s behaviour.

2. Evaluate if it fully explains Ahmed’s behaviour.

3. Overall  evaluate which perspective or combination of perspectives best explains Ahmed’s behaviour.

P406-414

really good explanation for all approaches  

https://www.s-cool.co.uk/a-level/psychology/psychological-abnormality/revise-it/causes-of-eating-disorders

Behaviourist, e.g. understanding challenging behaviour, changing/shaping. https://getrevising.co.uk/revision-notes/behaviourist_explanation_for_anorexia

Social learning, e.g. promotion of anti-discriminatory behaviours and practices, use of positive role models in health education campaigns. https://www.tutor2u.net/psychology/topics/social-learning-theory-anorexia-nervosa

Psychodynamic, e.g. understanding challenging behaviour, understanding and managing anxiety. https://blog.drsarahravin.com/eating-disorders/why-psychodynamic-therapy-is-harmful-for-eating-disorder-patients/

Humanistic, e.g. empathy, respecting other individuals, active listening.

Cognitive, e.g. supporting individuals with learning difficulties, supporting individuals with emotional problems/depression/post-traumatic stress disorder. https://www.tutor2u.net/psychology/topics/cognitive-theory-anorexia-nervosa distorted thinking  https://www.mentalhelp.net/articles/eating-disorder-maintaining-factors-continued/ https://www.mentalhelp.net/articles/characteristics-of-anorexia-nervosa-continued/

Biological, e.g. understanding developmental norms, understanding genetic predisposition to certain illnesses or health-related behaviours. https://www.tutor2u.net/psychology/topics/cognitive-theory-anorexia-nervosa maintaining factors https://www.mentalhelp.net/articles/other-eating-disorder-maintaining-factors/

Conclusion -Explain which perspective or combination of perspectives helps us to understand Ahmed’s behaviour.