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Psychology Revision Guides
A-Level Lessons Aid: This resource is designed to support your revision and may contain errors. If you find a discrepancy with your class teaching, your teacher is correct -- please let us know at alevelrevise@scott.scottrix.co.uk.

Psychopathology

Year 1 / ASYear 2 / A-Level All Boards (AQA, Edexcel, OCR, WJEC, CCEA) AQA

A-Level Psychology revision: Psychopathology. Learning objectives, key points, worked examples and practice questions across AQA, Edexcel, OCR, WJEC and CCEA.

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📌 Key Points

Key Fact: Definitions: Statistical (rare, e.g. IQ<70), Social norms (culture-specific), FFAD (distress, dysfunction), Ideal MH (Jahoda: autonomy, reality perception, etc.)
Key Fact: Phobias: Two-process (classical: fear acquisition, operant: avoidance maintenance); Preparedness (Seligman: evolved fears); CBT: exposure, cognitive restructuring
Key Fact: Depression: Biological (5-HTT gene, serotonin, cortisol/HPA axis); Cognitive (Beck: negative triad, schema, cognitive distortions); Learned helplessness (Seligman); Treatments: SSRIs (6-8 weeks), CBT (behavioural activation, cognitive restructuring)
Key Fact: OCD: Obsessions (intrusive), Compulsions (repetitive); Biological (COMT, SLC1A1, basal ganglia, serotonin); Cognitive (inflated responsibility, thought-action fusion); ERP (exposure response prevention)
Key Fact: Treatments: SSRIs (fluoxetine), Benzos (short-term), ECT (severe, resistant); CBT (gold standard for anxiety/depression); ERP (OCD)
Key Fact: Classification: DSM-5 (APA), ICD-11 (WHO); Reliability (inter-rater), Validity (construct, predictive); Comorbidity (e.g. depression+anxiety); Culture-bound syndromes

🎯 Learning Objectives

  • Define abnormality: statistical infrequency, deviation from social norms, failure to function adequately, deviation from ideal mental health
  • Understand phobias: behavioural (classical conditioning, two-process), cognitive (irrational thoughts), biological (preparedness)
  • Explain depression: biological (genetics, neurotransmitters, neuroendocrine), cognitive (Beck's triad, learned helplessness), psychological treatments
  • Understand OCD: biological (genetics, basal ganglia, serotonin), cognitive (intrusive thoughts, inflated responsibility), treatments
  • Evaluate treatments: biological (SSRIs, benzodiazepines, ECT), psychological (CBT, exposure, systematic desensitisation)
  • Understand diagnosis and classification: DSM-5, ICD-11, reliability/validity issues, comorbidity, cultural bias

💡 Worked Example

Exam-Style Question

Question: Explain the two-process model of phobias and evaluate it

Model Answer:

Classical: neutral stimulus (spider) paired with fear (trauma) -> CS elicits CR (fear). Operant: avoidance reduces fear -> negative reinforcement maintains phobia. Evaluation: explains acquisition/maintenance; ignores cognition (irrational thoughts), preparedness (why spiders not flowers?), individual differences; CBT addresses limitations

❓ Practice Questions

Questions:

  • Compare four definitions of abnormality
  • Explain Beck's negative triad
  • Evaluate SSRIs for depression
  • Describe ERP for OCD
  • Discuss cultural bias in DSM-5

🎬 Video Resources

📄 Past Papers & Exam Resources

🔗 Further Reading & Resources

📚 Lesson Plan (50 minutes)

  1. Starter (5 min): Recall prior knowledge of psychopathology with quick questions.
  2. Teaching (15 min): Work through each of the learning objectives, explaining principles step by step.
  3. Key points review (5 min): Revisit the key points together, confirming understanding.
  4. Worked example (10 min): Model the example question: Explain the two-process model of phobias and evaluate it. Solution: Classical: neutral stimulus (spider) paired with fear (trauma) -> CS elicits CR (fear). Operant: avoidance reduces fear -> negative reinforcement maintains phobia. Evaluation: explains acquisition/maintenance; ignores cognition (irrational thoughts), preparedness (why spiders not flowers?), individual differences; CBT addresses limitations
  5. Practice (10 min): Students attempt the practice questions independently; circulate and support.
  6. Plenary (5 min): Review answers and address misconceptions.

🏠 Homework

  • Compare four definitions of abnormality
  • Explain Beck's negative triad
  • Evaluate SSRIs for depression
  • Describe ERP for OCD
  • Discuss cultural bias in DSM-5

🧾 Assessment

Check practice answers against the model answer; use the built-in practice questions as formative assessment.