Word of the Day - Multimodal Therapy (BASIC ID)

Multimodal Therapy (BASIC ID) - Multimodal Therapy (MMT) is an approach to psychotherapy created by psychologist Arnold Lazarus.  Lazarus developed the  MMT approach that suggests that behaviors can be dived into  seven interrelated areas of functioning, which form the acronym BASIC ID.    The BASIC ID consists of the following:  

·         Behavior (habits, actions, reactions);

·         Affective response  (emotions and moods);

·         Sensations (taste, touch, smell, sight , hearing);

·         Imagery (self-concept, memory, dreams); 

·         Cognition (constructs, ideas, insights);

·         Interpersonal relationships (interactions);

·         Drugs (nutrition, biological functions). 

Dr. Murray Bowen (Psychiatrist) – Biography

By:  Kimberly Swanson - MS- Psy, CNA

Murray Bowen was a psychiatrist who pioneered the family systems theory (the Bowen theory).  Dr. Bowen was born January 31, 1913, in Waverly, Tennessee. In 1934, he earned a bachelor’s degree in science.  He furthered his education and earned his medical degree in 1937 at  the University of Tennessee Medical School.  Later, Bowen did his internship at Bellevue Hospital  and Grasslands Hospital in New York.  He later served in the military for five years where he began to take an interested in  the field of psychiatry.

Dr. Bowen has contributed substantially with the field of psychology.  He pioneered the family systems theory because he felt that the family is the main source of emotional needs and personality development.  Bowen had the opportunity to work with schizophrenia patients,  He researched and noted the correlation between  children and their mothers.   He  suggested that schizophrenia was due to generational dysfunction which gradually leads to an offspring having schizophrenia.  Even though Bowen’s family system theory is based on his research on schizophrenic clients, he further expanded  family system therapy to  be a common type of therapy for various conditions.

Bowen highlighted the differentiation of self-awareness which is a critical objective for each member of the family especially for children.  With differentiation, individuals see themselves as separate or independent of their family unit.   Murray Bowen also extended the family systems with the ideology that the  reactions of the family  is based on individual birth order and the position of the family structure (Good Therapy, 2015) . Another well-known theory that Bowen developed was the theory of triangulation;  Triangulation takes place when an individual refocuses their attention away from the true problem (Good Therapy, 2015).

References

Good Therapy.  (2015).    Murray Bowen (1913-1990).  Retrieved from http://www.goodtherapy.org/famous-psychologists/murray-bowen.html.

Word Of The Day - Intergenerational Family Therapy

Intergenerational Family Therapy (Nuclear Family Emotional System) is when the present family in therapy have an emotional system that is influenced or affected by the previous generation regardless as to rather or not the relative is alive or deceased.

Word of The Day - Enactment

Enactment -  Enactment is a  technique that  enables therapists (e.g. structural family therapist) to see if an instant replay of what event took place within the family structure or dynamics.

Word of the Day - Family Systems Theory (Counseling Psychology)

Family Systems Theory -  Family Systems  Theory, in counseling psychology. was created by Dr. Murray Bowen which enabled each family to work as team in order to resolve personal problems. There is a connection between each  family member within the systems which interconnects relationship and can only be understood when all members are working together as one.

In therapy,  with systems theory, the therapist does not blame the identified patient (IP).  All of the elements of a  system (i.e. members of a family) are interrelated and only as strong as their weakest part.

Psychosocial Theory of Development

(Source:  http://www.tankonyvtar.hu)

By:  Kimberly Swanson, PsyM, LPC

The psychosocial theory was created and developed by Erik Erikson (psychologist). Erikson's psychosocial theory is an expansion of Freud's psychoanalytic theory. According to Erikson's (1959) theory of psychosocial development, there are eight phases. Like Freud, Erikson states that crisis takes place during each stage of development. In Erikson (1963), when problems take place during psychosocial stages of development, they take place due to the mental needs of the individual (i.e., psycho) working against the needs of the general public (i.e., social).

According to Erikson's theorization, successfully completing each phase can enable outcomes of having a healthy personality and acquiring good solid morals. Essential virtues include traits that will allow the ego to overcome tragic situations or circumstances.

Not completing a particular stage in development can lessen the chance of achieving more advanced phases and cause a more unhealthy personality and a sense of identity. Fortunately, these phases can be changed and improved over time. 

The following charts are Erikson's 8 Stages of Psychosocial Development:

Chart from McLeod (2013)

References

Erikson, E. H. (Ed.). (1963). Youth: Change and challenge. Basic books.

Erikson, E. H., Paul, I. H., Heider, F., & Gardner, R. W. (1959). Psychological issues (Vol. 1). International Universities Press.

McLeod, S. A. (2013). Erik Erikson. Retrieved from www.simplypsychology.org/Erik-Erikson.html.

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Lecture on Psychosocial Development Theory by Kimberly Swanson "Purpoz," MS-Psy, CNA

Last Updated - 03/16/2022

Copyrighted 2016, 2022 by Purpoz Counseling & Wellness Center, LLC

Word of the Day - The Dictionary of Occupational Titles (DOT)

The Dictionary of Occupational Titles (DOT) or D-O-T (DOT), is a publication that is published by the United Stated Department of Labor which enables employers, government agencies, and workforce development staff to properly define over 13,000 different kinds of jobs, from 1938 to the late 1990s.  DOT also includes a nine-digit code for each occupational definition.  Digits 4-6 refer to how the tasks of the job relates to data, people, and things (Rosenthal, 2008).

Reference

Rosenthal, H.  (2008). Encyclopedia of Counseling (3^rd ed.).  New York, Routledge.

Word of the Day - Family Constellations

Family Constellations - Family Constellations is a system of relationships in which self-awareness develops. This system includes and is maintained by oneself, one's parents, siblings, and any other individuals living within the household, this is when social arrangement has occurred.

Word of the Day - Fixation (Psychoanalytic Family Theory)

Fixation (Psychoanalytic Family Theory) – According to psychoanalytic family theory, fixation is a partial interruption of an attachment or behavioral pattern or practice from an earlier phase of development.  For instance, if a person is stuck on the oral stage of Freud’s psychoanalytic development from childhood unresolved issues, then a person will have a difficult time moving to the next stage of development. 

Erik Erikson – (Developmental Psychologist and Psychoanalyst)

By:  Kimberly Swanson, M.S. - Psy, CNA

Erik Erikson (Developmental Psychologist)

Erik Erikson was a 20th century psychologist who developed the theory of psychosocial development and the concept of an identity crisis. 

Erickson was born in June 15, 1902 in Frankfurt, Germany.    Erikson’s mom was Jewish, Karla Abrahamsen.  He never knew his biological father, who was an unknown Danish man. His mother, Karla, later married a physician, Dr. Theodor Homberger, who practically raised him.  He did not believe that his stepfather was fully accepting of him like his own biological children.

He did not know until later that his Dr. Homberger was not his biological father.  Once he found out the truth, this left him feeling confused and filled with mixed emotions.  Knowing this information helped explained why his did not feel like he fitted in within community while growing up.   While attending a Jewish school he was constantly teased for being tall, having blue eyes, and his Nordic appearance. Erickson grew up with his stepfather’s last name; but in 1939, he changed his last name to  Erikson.

According to Sharkey (1997), Erikson did not care for a formal education so instead he studied the arts after high school.  He traveled throughout Europe. Once meeting Anna Freud in Vienna, He decided to study psychoanalysis, where his studied child development at the Vienna Psychoanalytic Institute.  He earned a diploma from the institute.  He never earned a formal degree but his gained knowledge through experience and research.

In 1930, Erikson married Joan Serson, who assisted him in developing his psychosocial development theory.  Erikson and his family Fled Nazi’s invasion  and moved into the  United States;  Erikson and his wife raised their three children in the United States (Good Therapy,2015).

Professional Career

When Erikson first lived in Boston, he became the first male to practice child psychoanalysis.   He also worked at Harvard Medical school (Judge Baker Guidance Center) and Harvard’s Psychological Clinic.  While at the university, he conducted a longitudinal study on the Sioux children in South Dakota’s Indian reservation.

Erikson expanded Freud’s theories of five stages of development.  Erickson developed the study of life cycles which his principles was that individuals goes through eights phrases of development.  His focus was on the concept that the environment plays a significant role in  self-awareness, adjustment, human development, and identity (Good Therapy, 2015).

Another contribution that Erikson made in the field of psychology is the work of further expanding the field of ego psychology with the  emphasis of the ego not being the platform for the id as a fulfillment of  desires, but as an a critical psychological foundation.  Erikson also further expanded Freud’s psychoanalysis in his 1950 book, Childhood and Society.

References

Good Therapy.  (1997).  Erik Erikson (1902-1994).  Retrieved from http://www.goodtherapy.org/famous-psychologists/erik-erikson.html

Sharkey, W.  (1997).  Erik Erikson.  Retrieved March 29, 2005 from www.muskingum.edu/~psych/psycweb/history/erikson.htm

Copyright in 2016 by ©Messenger Publishing, Inc.

Word of the Day - Open Group

Open Group (Noun) - Refers to a group where individuals can join at any time.  An open group allows new members to join  as old members leave.  New members refreshes the group dynamics but they may cause problems with assimilation (or rules), which can affect trust and cohesion with earlier members

Psychopathology - What is Dysthymic Disorder?

By:  Kimberly Swanson, M.S. – Psy, CNA

Dysthymic Disorder is a low level form of depression that occurs more days than not for at least one year in kids and teens and at least two years in adults (APA), 2013).   The level and range of diagnosable disturbances is based on the clinicians’ judgement and expertise within the field of psychiatry and psychology (Butcher, Mineka, Hooley, 2013).    Patients who are diagnosed with dysthymic disorder must have at least two of the six additional symptoms that is often times found in depression (e.g. presence of depression - loss of appetite/overeating, loss of energy/tired, etc.); there are additional criterion found under persistent Depressive Disorders (Dysthymia) within the APA’s DSM-5 (APA, 3013).

Niculescu and Akisal (2001) suggested that dysthymia should be split into 2 subcategories:  anxious dysthymia and anergic dysthymia.  They defined these sub-categories of patients with anxious dysthymia as having defined symptoms of low self-esteem, restlessness, and being sensitive to interpersonal rejection (Niculescu and Akisal, 2001).  It is also categorized that these patients tend to seek assistance and are most likely to make less lethal suicide attempts, and do better with certain medications (e.g. selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs)).  Sometimes these patients have problems with substance abuse; the following are the drugs that tend to be these patients drugs of choice:  alcohol, marijuana, opiates, benzodiazepines, and etc. (Niculescu and Akisal, 2001).

Dysthymia occurs quite frequently, which can occur within the general public’s life span of 2.5 and 6 percent (Kessler et al., 1994; Kessler, Berglund, Demier et al., 2005).  The normal time frame for dysthymia is 4 to 5 years but it can last as long as 20 years or more (Keller et al., 1997; Klein et al., 2006). Chronic stress may be a contributing factor to the increased severity of the symptoms over 7.5 years follow-up over a certain period of time (Dougherty et al., 2004).  A 10 year longitudinal study was conducted with 97 participants with early-onset dysthymia; it was found that 74% recovered within 10 years, but  among those who have recovered, 71% relapsed, which occurred within 3 years of following up with their doctor (Klein et al. 2006; Klein, 2010).

References

American Psychiatric Association (APA).  (2013). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders, 5^th ed. (DSM-5).  Arlington: American Psychiatric Association (APA).
  

Butcher, J.N., Mineka, S., Hooley, J.M.  (2013). Abnormal Psychology, 15^th ed.  Upper Saddle River:  Pearson Education, Inc.   

Dougherty, L.R., Klein, D.N., Davila, J.  (2004). A growth curve analysis of the course of dysthymic disorder:  The effects of chronic stress and moderation by adverse parent-child relationships and family history.   Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 72(6), 1012-1021.

Keller, M.B., Hirschfeld, R. M.A., & Hanks, D.  (1997). Double depression:  A distinctive subtype of unipolar depression.  Journal of Affective Disorders, 45(1-2), 65-73.

Klein, D.N.  (2010). Chronic depression:  Diagnosis and classification.  Current Directions in Psychological Science, 19(2), 96-100.

Klein, D.N., Shankman, S.A., & Rose, S.  (2006). Ten-year prospective follow-up study of the naturalistic course of dysthymic disorder and double depression.  American Journal of Psychiatry, 163(5), 872-680.

Kessler, R.C., Berglund, P., Demler, O., Jin, R., & Walters, E.E.  (2005). Lifetime prevalence and age-of-onset distribution of DSM-IV disorders in the National Comorbidity Survey Replication.  Archives of General Psychiatry, 62, 593-602.

Kessler, R.C., McGonagle, K.A. Zhao, S., Nelson, C.B., Hughes, M., Eshleman, S., Wittchen, H.U., & Kendler, K.S. (1994).  Lifetime and 12 month prevalence of DSM-III-R psychiatric disorders in the United States:  Results from the National Comorbid Survey. Archives of General Psychiatry, 51, 8-19.

Niculescu, A.B. 3rd, Akiskal, H.S. (2001).  Proposed endophenotypes of dysthymia: evolutionary, clinical and pharmacogenomics considerations. Molecular Psychiatry, 6(4):363-6.

Copyright in 2016 by ©Messenger Publishing, Inc.

Word of the Day - Median

Median- mēdēən/Me-di-an (Noun) -Is a measurement of central tendency  that is defined as the middle value of a set of numbers when the numbers are arranged in an increasing or decreasing order. The median of distribution is defined as the middle measure of ordered distribution.