Addiction (AQA GCSE Psychology): Exam Questions

Exam code: 8182

25 mins6 questions
1a1 mark

Read the following conversation.

Corrine: “I was prescribed painkillers for the injuries from my accident. I think I may have an addiction to these painkillers. I am not actually taking them because I am in pain any more. I just don’t seem to be able to control using them. And now it’s starting to damage my friendships and making it difficult to go to work.”

Doctor: “Is that because you are giving painkillers a higher priority than other things?”

Corrine: “I think so. I know it’s harmful to take so many but the desire is just so strong. I have difficulties coping with my day-to-day life without them.”

Doctor: “It seems likely that taking unnecessary painkillers will affect your physical wellbeing. It’s important we talk about the types of interventions available to you.”

The following behaviours are all referred to in the conversation.

Which one is not a symptom of addiction (dependence syndrome) according to the International Classification of Diseases (ICD)?

Shade one box.

  • A higher priority given to the painkillers than to other things

  • A strong desire to use the painkillers despite knowing this has harmful consequences

  • Difficulty in controlling the use of the painkillers

  • Using the painkillers for something other than the prescribed use

1b3 marks

Self-management programmes are a type of intervention used for addiction.

Using your knowledge of the strengths and/or weaknesses of self-management programmes, briefly discuss why this would be an appropriate intervention for Corrine.

Refer to the conversation to support your answer.

22 marks

One biological explanation for addiction is genetic vulnerability.

What is meant by the term ‘genetic vulnerability’?

33 marks

Briefly evaluate Kaij’s twin study of alcohol abuse.

44 marks

Read the following information.

Research has found that an important factor affecting teenage drug use is whether or not drug use is common within a teenager’s friendship group. Another important factor is the way that the teenagers’ role models talk about drug use.

Briefly outline one psychological explanation of addiction.

Refer to the information in your answer.

53 marks

Catherine has been diagnosed with an addiction to alcohol. When Catherine is with her friends they encourage her to drink more. Her mother and older brother have also been diagnosed with an addiction to alcohol.

Read the following statements about mental health. Decide whether each statement is True or False. Tick one box for each statement.

True

False

An intervention that could be offered to treat Catherine’s addiction is aversion therapy

Catherine may have a genetic vulnerability to addiction

One biological explanation for Catherine’s addiction is that she is influenced by her peers

69 marks

Describe one study of hereditary factors in addiction and evaluate the research method used in that study.