Research, Trends & Ethics in Treatment (College Board AP® Psychology): Revision Note
Research & trends in the treatment of psychological disorders
Effectiveness of psychotherapy
Psychotherapy is generally effective across a wide range of psychological disorders
This is supported by meta-analyses, which combine results from many studies to identify overall trends
No single therapy is universally superior
Effectiveness varies depending on the disorder, the individual client, and the therapist
Evidence-based interventions
Treatments that are grounded in scientific research rather than intuition
Psychologists use these to guide and adapt treatment plans
Eclectic approach
Many therapists combine techniques from different approaches
This allows treatment to be tailored to the individual
The therapeutic alliance
Therapeutic alliance refers to the working relationship between therapist and client
It is one of the strongest predictors of successful treatment outcomes
A strong alliance involves:
trust between therapist and client
agreement on treatment goals
active collaboration
Cultural humility:
Therapists must recognize and respect the client’s cultural background and experiences in order to deliver therapy effectively
Failure to consider culture can lead to:
poor rapport
misdiagnosis
less effective treatment
Deinstitutionalization & trends in treatment
In the past, individuals with severe psychological disorders were often placed in long-term psychiatric hospitals
Deinstitutionalization refers to the shift away from institutional care to community-based treatment
This began in the mid-20th century
This shift was driven by:
the development of psychotropic medications, which made outpatient treatment possible
legal and ethical changes, including greater emphasis on patients’ rights
Modern treatment approaches:
focus on outpatient care rather than long-term hospitalization
often involve a combination of medication and psychotherapy
This reflects:
more effective treatments
greater emphasis on autonomy, dignity, and quality of life
Examiner Tips and Tricks
For Skill 2.B, questions may present a meta-analysis of therapy effectiveness. When evaluating, remember:
meta-analysis is a strength, as it combines many studies, increasing sample size and statistical power
findings are more reliable than single studies
however, poor-quality studies can weaken the overall findings
For Skill 3.C, you may be given a table or graph of therapy outcomes. When interpreting data:
look for differences in effect sizes across therapies or disorders
identify which treatments appear most or least effective
compare patterns rather than focusing on single values
use the data to support a clear conclusion about relative effectiveness
Ethical principles in the treatment of psychological disorders
Psychologists in clinical or therapeutic settings are guided by the American Psychological Association (APA)
These principles aim to protect client wellbeing and maintain professional standards
APA ethical principle | What It means in practice |
|---|---|
Nonmaleficence | Therapists must avoid causing harm to clients (psychologically, physically, or socially) |
Fidelity | Therapists must be trustworthy, honor commitments to clients, and maintain confidentiality |
Integrity | Therapists must be honest and avoid deception or misrepresentation |
Respect for people's rights and dignity | Therapists must respect clients' autonomy, privacy, and right to make informed decisions about their treatment |
Cultural humility | Therapists must recognize and respect cultural differences and avoid imposing their own cultural values onto clients |
Applying ethics to treatment decisions
Ethical principles require professional judgement, not just rule-following
Informed consent
Clients must be informed about the nature, risks, and benefits of treatment
Clients have the right to withdraw
Confidentiality
is a core ethical duty
may be broken if there is serious risk of harm to the client or others
Cultural competence
Therapists must recognize and manage their own biases
Failure to do so can reduce treatment effectiveness
Examiner Tips and Tricks
For Skill 2.D, questions may describe a therapeutic scenario and ask you to evaluate ethical practice. When answering:
identify the relevant APA principle (e.g. confidentiality)
apply the principle directly to the therapist’s behavior
explain what the therapist did correctly or failed to do
justify your judgement using the principle
For Skill 4.B, you may be asked to use evidence to support or refute a claim about ethical practice. A strong response should:
recognize that APA ethical guidelines are evidence-based
use these guidelines as support for evaluating practice
explain how the guidelines protect client welfare
link the evidence clearly to the claim
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