Question

Preparation

Select an area in your field or other area of interest and explore how psychological research has had an impact in solving practical problems in that field. Areas of applied research in psychology include:

Business.

Criminal justice.

Education.

Forensics.

Health.

Mental health treatment.

Public safety.

Sports.

Technology.

Select one topic of interest. For example, you might be interested in one of the following topics:

How supervisor training impacts development of future leaders in the workplace.

How research on jury bias has been used to improve courtroom proceedings.

How research in sports performance has been used to improve athlete performance.

How research in product design is used to improve human performance.

How research in product design is used to improve workplace safety.

How research on the effectiveness of a violence prevention program can be applied in the workplace.

These are only a few examples, and you are not limited to these topics.

Directions

Write a 4–5-page assessment (not including title page and references page) that addresses a human factor problem to which a solution has been researched and applied. Make sure to complete the following:

Present information from three sources of information (at least one professional and at least two scholarly sources) on a topic in applied psychology.

Summarize psychology research findings that have been applied to solve a specific problem or make a specific improvement.

Describe the methods used in the research.

Apply findings from research to solve practical human factor problems.

Describe how the application benefits human health or well-being.

Include a title page and references page (not part of the 4–5 pages of content).

Answer 1

Psychology Research for Mental Health Treatment

Title: Management of Negative Mood states among males with substance dependence.

Introduction: “For a long time when it’s working, the drink feels like a path to self- enlighten something that turns us into the person we wish to be, or the person we think we really are. In some ways the dynamics is this simple: alcohol makes everything better until it makes everything worse” (Knapp, 1997). Many countries are flooded with substances that lift you up, cool you down and turn you upside down. It’s normal to start the day with caffeine, in the form of coffee, to take wine with meal, to meet friends for drink after work, and to end the day with a nightcap. Current data over substance abuse and dependence shows that in 2012, 7.0% of whole population (15 to 64 years old) globally uses illicit drugs (World Drug Report, 2016).

To understand substance related problems, we must first know the meaning of substance dependence.

Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders-IV (DSM-IV), definition of substance dependence combines physiological aspects of tolerance and withdrawal with the behaviour and psychological aspect. According to DSM-IV, substance dependence is a maladaptive pattern of substance use leading to clinically significant impairment or distress, as manifested by three or more of the following symptoms occurring at any time in twelve months period; Tolerance, A need of markedly increased amount of the substance to achieve intoxication or desired effect or markedly diminished effect with continued use of the same amount of the substance.

Withdrawal, as manifested by a characteristic withdrawal syndrome for the substance (withdrawals for specific substances) or the same or closely related substance is taken to relieve or avoid withdrawal symptoms.

Many factors such as physiological effects of the substance, the neural reward system in the brain, and the social context in which the substance use occur are involved in the development of substance dependence. Dissatisfaction with the environment, with the family situations, faulty learning because of peer pressure or occupation can create the mental state, which stimulates the desire for substance use as to release from tension and frustration. From the study of many situations it is concluded that the “psychological element” is of vital importance in considering the situation of substance dependence (Sharf,1999; Saraswati, 2005). A research by Gebhard & Bernard (2008) found that there is an important relationship between mood states (Anxiety and depressive mood states) and substance use. Adolescents with mood disorder constantly use more drugs than adolescents with a normal mood range. Other researchers found that negative mood is related to self- reported stress and poor coping (Clark & Watson, 1986), health complaints (Tessler & Mechanic, 1978) and frequency of unpleasant events.

Negative mood states under this research are anxiety and depression. Mood, according to Oleson (2006), involves tone and intensity and a structured set of beliefs about general expectations of a future experience of pleasure or pain, or of positive or negative effect in the future. Moods, being diffused and unfocused, and thus harder to cope with, can last for days, weeks, months, or even years (Schucman & Thetford, 1975). A brief discussion of these mood states is;

1.1 Anxiety: It is a negative mood state characterized by physical symptoms and apprehension about the future (American Psychiatric Association, 1994; Barlow, 2002).

Restlessness or feeling keyed up, difficulty in concentrating, irritability, muscle tension, sleep disturbance, impairments in social, occupational and other important areas because of physical symptoms and worry are some symptoms of anxiety mood states.

1.2 Depression: is a state of low mood and aversion to activity that can affect a person's thoughts, behaviour, feelings and physical well-being (Salmans S., 1997).And symptoms are; feeling sad or empty, diminished interest, weight loss or weight gain (decrease or increase in appetite), insomnia or hypersomnia, psychomotor retardation, pessimistic, in poor spirits, disappointed.

In the present study, negative mood states (anxiety and depression) are taken as effects of substance dependence and reasons for relapse. A study by Childress (1994) supports the relation of negative mood states with relapse. Relapsed alcoholic individuals frequently report that negative mood states trigger their return to drinking. There are several other researches, which support a strong relation between negative affect and relapse to substance use (Brandon et al., 1990).

The disease of substance dependence is more complex in nature because of high relapse rate and multiple factors associated with it. The treatment of substance dependents is multi-dimensional in nature. Therapists need to focus on patient’s physical, psychological, interpersonal (family and social), economical and work areas because substance dependence affects all these aspects of person’s life. The intervention program designed for substance dependence and relapse prevention in this research work was also multidimensional in nature as it worked on biological and psychological aspects of a person with substance dependence. In addition to that subjects also learned behavioral skills to deal with the social situations.

This psycho -physical intervention program consists of yoga therapy, relaxation therapy, adaptive skills training and psycho education. Here Yoga asna are for the cure of physiological (withdrawal) symptoms among males with substance dependence. Jacobson’s Progressive Muscular Relaxation is a relaxation therapy have their positive effects on health and on negative mood states. Adaptive skills training, being the most effective and most frequently used therapeutic technique for substance dependence, researcher included adaptive skills training in the therapeutic plan. a brief expalnation is as follows:

Yoga Therapy: Though dependence is a brain mechanism, which gradually effects whole body functioning. Serious withdrawal symptoms among substance dependents require medical aid, but some simple yogic practices can also be useful. Practices should be rather simple, pleasant and relaxing for them (Weiser, S. 2003). According to Karel Nespor (2001) serious withdrawal syndromes because of dependence require medical aid, but some simple yogic practices can also be useful.

Jacobson’s Progressive Muscular Relaxation (JPMR): is a systematic technique for achieving a deep state of relaxation and reducing anxiety by alternately tensing and relaxing the muscles. It is based on physiological principles and use of the method requires understanding of nervous physiology (Jacobson E., 1924). Long-term effects of regular practice of progressive muscle relaxation include: decrease in generalized anxiety, decrease in anticipatory anxiety related to phobias, reduction in the frequency and duration of panic attacks, improved concentration, increased sense of control over moods, increased self-esteem, increased spontaneity and creativity.

Adaptive skills training: Adaptive skills training was designed for the following areas of concern among males with substance dependence; 1) low motivation to change, 2) to learn skills to avoid relapse or learn to deal with internal and external risks (triggers/high risk situations) of substance abuse, 3) to stay abstinent after treatment. Here treatment protocol for substance dependence given by Monti et al., (2002) & Velasquez et al., (2001) is followed.

Method:

Subjects: 100 males (16- 60 years old) with multiple substance dependence (especially alcohol, cannabiods, opioid dependence) and who were under the medication of detoxification. Patients with substance dependence were only selected as subjects for the study.

Diagnosis of substance dependence among subjects:

1. By the psychiatrists of concerned rehabilitation centers.
2. By the researcher- by using CAGE Questionnaire given by World Health Organization.
3. Assessment of negative mood states was done by using Mood States Questionnaire.

Substance dependence pattern: Maximum subjects had poly/multiple substance dependence. Substances of dependence – multiple substance dependence. Years of substance dependence - minimum two years history of substance dependence. The subjects with prior attempts of abstinence were also included.

Past history - subjects with past history of mood, anxiety or personality disorder were selected for the sample. Only subjects with psychosis in co morbidity were excluded from the sample.

Purposive sampling is characterized by the use of judgment and a deliberate effort to obtain representative samples by using presumably typical areas or groups in the sample.

Research design: In the present study, researcher used “Pre - Post Control Group Design” (According to Campbell & Stanley, 1963 classification). In this experimental design, researcher selects two groups from target population and they are compared to evaluate results. These groups are tested on common task or pre test measure thus groups are equivalent initially. One group receives treatment (independent variable) named experimental group and another group receives no such treatment named control group. The groups were selected one after another to avoid therapeutic contamination. The post test (after intervention) was administered after 35 days of pre test.

Statistical Analysis: Two null hypotheses were formulated to see the effect of intervention program on anxiety and depressive mood states. t- test was used for the analysis of data. As per findings t values were significant on 0.01 level of significance and null hypotheses were rejected. Therefore results shoed that this intervention program significantly reduces Anxiety and depressive mood state among males with substance dependence.

Summary: A study by Sabine et al. (2005) showed that drug-dependent patients show increased negative mood states such as anxiety and depression that interact with drug craving and quality of life. Results showed that, compared with healthy immigrants, drug-dependent immigrants showed significantly higher levels of anxiety, depression and negative stress-coping strategies, independent of differences in education or employment status. The severity of drug craving was significantly associated with negative mood states but not with any other measured socio-demographic variable. This study concluded that drug dependence is associated with increased negative mood states and poor stress-coping strategies, independent of the assessed socio-demographic variables. Similarly in present research work researcher used therapies related to negative mood states and stress coping strategies to prevent subjects from relapse. Researcher assessed the combined effect of these therapeutic techniques (Yoga therapy, relaxation therapy, adaptive skills training and psycho education) on different negative mood states rather than assessing the effect of individual therapeutic technique. A research by Chauhan (1997) supported the positive effect of yogic exercises in the withdrawal symptoms of drug-addicts and anxiety. Relaxation training is a chief component of anxiety management (Richardson, 1999). There are evidences in literature, in which above mentioned therapies treat depression effectively. Shapiro et al., (2007) studied yoga as a complementary treatment of depression. Kenneth et al., (2008) tested the relative efficacy of behavioural therapy for depression in drug dependence against a structured relaxation intervention for treating depressive disorders and substance abuse. The findings suggested that both behavioural and relaxation based approaches show promise for treating co morbid depression and depressive effects of substances in drug dependent populations.

From the above discussion, it can be concluded that negative mood states are important symptoms among substance dependents to be treated and these are one of the most important reason for relapse. It is also concluded that a multi dimensional therapy package is useful in treating subjects with substance dependence. Because substance dependence is a complicated disease so each aspect (physical, psychological and social) should be kept in mind while treating because these aspects are interconnected. This therapeutic package is appropriate because it is multidimensional in nature as per the complex nature of substance dependence disease and can be used in clinical settings to provide maximum benefit to the persons with substance dependence.

References:

1. United Nations office on Drugs and Crime, World Drug Report. (2016). New York.

Barlow, D. (2002). Anxiety and its disorders: the nature and treatment of anxiety and panic. 2^nd ed. New York: Guilford Press, (pp. 75-79).

Brandon, T.H., Tiffany, S.T., Obremski, K.M. & Baker, T.B. (1990). Post cessation cigarette use: the process of relapse. Addictive Behaviour, 15(2), 105-14.

Chauhan, S.K.S. (1992). Role of yogic exercises in the withdrawal symptoms of drug-addicts. Yoga Mimamsa, 30(4), 21-23.

Childress, A.R. et al. (1994). Can induced moods trigger drug-related responses in opiate abuse patients? Journal of Substance Abuse Treatment, 11(1), 17-23.

Clark, L.A. & Watson, D. (1984). Negative affectivity: The disposition to experience negative aversive emotional states. Psychological Bulletin, 96, 465–490.

Gebhard, H. & Bernard, P. (2008). Relationship between mood states and substance use among Adolescents. Mental Health and Substance Use: dual diagnosis. 1(3), 242–253.

Jacobson, E. (1924). The technique of progressive relaxation. Journal of Nervous and Mental Disease. 60(6):568-578.

Kenneth, M., Carpenter, J.L., Smith, E.A., & Edward, V.N. (2008). Developing Therapies for Depression in Drug Dependence: Results of a Stage 1 Therapy Study. The American Journal of Drug and Alcohol Abuse. 34(5), 642 – 652.

Knapp, C. (1997). Drinking: A Love Story, (pp. 23), Bantam Doubleday Dell Publishing Group, New York.

Monti, P. et al., (2002). Substance Abuse Treatment for Youth and Adults: Clinician's Guide. Cognitive behavioral coping skills therapy for adults, (pp. 279-284), John Wiley & Sons. Publishers.

Nespor, K. (2001). Addiction. Paper presented, Department of Addictions. Prague Psychiatric Hospital, Czech Republic.

Richardson, (1999). Contraindication in physical rehabilitation, Doing No Harms. editor, Mitchell B. (editor), Section -A, (pp.- 152), Elsevier pub.

Sabine, M.G., Klaus, W., Chantal, P.M., Ulrike, A., & Andreas, H. (2005). Immigration-Associated Variables and Substance Dependence. Journal of Studies on Alcohol, 66, 98-104.

Salmans, S. (1997). Depression: questions you have -answers you need. People's Medical Society.

Saraswati, S. (2005). Yoga Nidra, (pp. 93- 108), 6th ed. Yoga Publication Trust.

Schucman, H., Thetford, C. (1975). A Course in Miracle. New York: Viking Penguin.

Shapiro, D. et al., (2007). Yoga as a complementary treatment of depression: effects of traits and moods on treatment outcome. Evidence-Based Complement Alternative Medicine, 4(4), 493-502.

Sharf, R.S. (1999). Theories of Psychotherapy & Counselling, Concepts and Cases, (pp. 332-367), 2nd ed. Wadsworth Publishing Company.

Tessler, R., & Mechanic, D. (1978). Psychological distress and perceived health status. Journal of Health and Social Behaviour, 19, 254-262.

Weiser, S. (2003). Structural Yoga therapy-Adapting to the Individual. 1st ed. Mukunda Slites, Library of Congress cataloguing in publication data.