Psychological Problems

Psychological Problems is a fascinating topic within OCR GCSE Psychology that explores how we define, explain, and treat mental health conditions. You'll examine two key disorders: schizophrenia and depression. The topic covers the spectrum from 'normal' to 'abnormal' behaviour, the social and biological causes of mental illness, and the effectiveness of various treatments. Understanding this topic is crucial because mental health affects millions of people worldwide, and psychology plays a vital role in reducing stigma and improving lives.

You'll learn about the 'four Ds' of abnormality (deviance, dysfunction, distress, and danger) and how they help psychologists diagnose disorders. For schizophrenia, you'll study the biological explanation (dopamine hypothesis) and psychological treatments like cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT). For depression, you'll explore the cognitive explanation (Beck's negative triad) and biological treatments such as antidepressants. This topic also requires you to evaluate research methods, including the use of case studies and correlations, and to consider ethical issues in mental health research.

Psychological Problems connects to other topics in the course, such as Memory (how cognitive biases affect thinking) and Social Influence (how stigma affects help-seeking). It also prepares you for A-level Psychology by introducing key debates like nature vs. nurture and reductionism vs. holism. By the end of this topic, you should be able to critically analyse different explanations and treatments, and appreciate the complexity of mental health.