Psychological Problems

What Psychological Problems covers

Psychological Problems is examined in Paper 1, every student. It covers symptoms of depression and addiction, incidence and effects of mental health problems, explaining depression, explaining addiction, treating depression and addiction and key studies and the nature–nurture debate.

The 6 subtopics

Each one has its own page.

• Symptoms of depression and addictionUnipolar depression and dependence as the International Classification of Diseases describes them, severity, tolerance and withdrawal, and behavioural addiction.Open →
• Incidence and effects of mental health problemsWhy the recorded incidence of depression and addiction has changed, the internet and addiction, and the effects on individuals, families, workplaces and society, including stigma.Open →
• Explaining depressionThe genetic explanation and family and twin evidence, Beck's cognitive theory with the negative triad, negative schemas and cognitive errors, and nature and nurture.Open →
• Explaining addictionGenetic vulnerability, learning theory through positive and negative reinforcement, classical conditioning of cravings and social learning, and how genes and learning interact.Open →
• Treating depression and addictionCognitive behavioural therapy for depression and for addiction, antidepressants, drug treatments for addiction and nicotine replacement, and the strengths, weaknesses and ethics of each.Open →
• Key studies and the nature–nurture debateCaspi's study of a serotonin transporter gene and stressful life events, Young's study of internet addiction, and the interactionist view of mental health.Open →

What you need to know

Answer each one before you reveal it.

Take Psychological Problems further

The same content, four other ways.

Commonly confused

Pairs that lose marks when they are blurred together.

• Tolerance vs Withdrawal

  Tolerance: needing ever larger amounts of a substance for the same effect. Withdrawal: unpleasant symptoms that appear when use of a substance stops.

• Positive reinforcement vs Negative reinforcement

  Positive reinforcement: repeating a behaviour because it brings a pleasant reward. Negative reinforcement: repeating a behaviour because it removes something unpleasant.

• Cognitive theory vs Learning theory

  Cognitive theory: explaining a problem through faulty patterns of thinking. Learning theory: explaining a problem through conditioning and imitation.

Questions from this topic

Each one with the model answer underneath.

1. 1

   What is the International Classification of Diseases (ICD)?

   Model answer

   The International Classification of Diseases is the World Health Organization's system for diagnosing health conditions. Doctors compare a person's symptoms with its criteria.

2. 2

   What is unipolar depression?

   Model answer

   Unipolar depression is a mental health problem involving persistent low mood without episodes of mania. The low mood affects the person's daily life.

3. 3

   Which core symptoms of depression does the ICD describe?

   Model answer

   The core symptoms are low mood, loss of interest and enjoyment, and reduced energy or tiredness. The symptoms usually need to have lasted at least two weeks.

4. 4

   Which other symptoms of depression does the ICD list?

   Model answer

   Other symptoms include poor concentration, low self-esteem and feelings of guilt or worthlessness. Disturbed sleep, a changed appetite and a bleak view of the future are also listed.

5. 5

   How does the ICD judge how severe a person's depression is?

   Model answer

   The number and severity of the person's symptoms are counted. More numerous and severe symptoms mean a more severe diagnosis.

6. 6

   How does depression differ from ordinary sadness?

   Model answer

   Sadness is a short-lived reaction to a difficult event. Depression lasts for weeks or longer and disrupts everyday life.

What is inside Levo

Six ways to work the same material.

Psychological Problems revision questions

What does Psychological Problems cover in Edexcel GCSE Psychology?

6 subtopics: symptoms of depression and addiction, incidence and effects of mental health problems, explaining depression, explaining addiction, treating depression and addiction and key studies and the nature–nurture debate. Each one has its own page with questions and model answers.

How is Psychological Problems organised?

By the Edexcel 1PS0 specification, subtopic by subtopic, so it matches the order you are taught it in.