School / IB / PSYCH SL / Abnormal psychology (option) Exam-style + marking analysis
Abnormal psychology (option) Diagnosis, etiology and treatment of depression and OCD, examined on Paper 2.
Psychology SL Abnormal psychology (option)
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Paper All papers Paper 2 style General practice (not paper-specific)
Paper labels are an unofficial, independently authored grouping, applied only where a question's own format genuinely matches a real paper convention (such as IB Mathematics AA's non-calculator/calculator split). They do not reproduce any exam board's real paper numbering or mark allocation, and uncertain questions are labelled general practice instead.
1 Explain why the reliability of a psychiatric diagnosis (such as major depressive disorder) is important, and state one factor that can threaten diagnostic reliability. Paper 2 style Easy 3 marks No calculator + 2 Marking analysis: A learner attempts the following task: “Explain why the reliability of a psychiatric diagnosis (such as major depressive disorder) is important, and state one factor that can threaten diagnostic reliability.” Their response addresses only this point: “Explains that reliability refers to the consistency of a diagnosis — whether different clinicians assessing the same patient (inter-rater reliability) or the same clinician assessing the patient at different times would reach the same diagnosis.” Evaluate the response against the complete 3-mark task. Identify what earns credit and state every additional requirement needed for full marks. Marking analysis Easy 3 marks No calculator + 3 Outline the serotonin hypothesis as a biological explanation for depression, and state one piece of evidence that challenges this explanation as a complete account of the disorder. Paper 2 style Easy 3 marks No calculator + 4 Marking analysis: A learner attempts the following task: “Outline the serotonin hypothesis as a biological explanation for depression, and state one piece of evidence that challenges this explanation as a complete account of the disorder.” Their response addresses only this point: “Outlines the serotonin hypothesis: depression is associated with reduced levels or activity of the neurotransmitter serotonin at synapses, which regulates mood, sleep, and appetite.” Evaluate the response against the complete 3-mark task. Identify what earns credit and state every additional requirement needed for full marks. Marking analysis Easy 3 marks No calculator + 5 Using Beck's cognitive triad, explain how negative automatic thoughts about the self, the world, and the future could maintain a person's depression. Paper 2 style Easy 3 marks No calculator + 6 Marking analysis: A learner attempts the following task: “Using Beck's cognitive triad, explain how negative automatic thoughts about the self, the world, and the future could maintain a person's depression.” Their response addresses only this point: “Outlines Beck's cognitive triad as three interconnected negative belief patterns: negative views of the self (e.g., 'I am worthless'), the world (e.g., 'everything goes wrong'), and the future (e.g., 'nothing will improve').” Evaluate the response against the complete 3-mark task. Identify what earns credit and state every additional requirement needed for full marks. Marking analysis Easy 3 marks No calculator + 7 Explain how a significant negative life event (such as job loss) could contribute to the onset of depression, considering both the event itself and the social context surrounding it. Paper 2 style Easy 3 marks No calculator + 8 Marking analysis: A learner attempts the following task: “Explain how a significant negative life event (such as job loss) could contribute to the onset of depression, considering both the event itself and the social context surrounding it.” Their response addresses only this point: “Explains that a major negative life event can directly trigger feelings of loss, failure, or hopelessness, which align with depressive symptoms.” Evaluate the response against the complete 3-mark task. Identify what earns credit and state every additional requirement needed for full marks. Marking analysis Easy 3 marks No calculator + 9 State one strength and one limitation of using drug therapy (such as SSRIs) to treat depression. Paper 2 style Easy 2 marks No calculator + 10 Marking analysis: A learner attempts the following task: “State one strength and one limitation of using drug therapy (such as SSRIs) to treat depression.” Their response addresses only this point: “States a valid strength, such as drug therapy often being more accessible and less time-intensive than talk-based therapies, and being effective for a substantial proportion of patients, especially for moderate to severe depression.” Evaluate the response against the complete 2-mark task. Identify what earns credit and state every additional requirement needed for full marks. Marking analysis Easy 2 marks No calculator + 11 Explain how cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) aims to treat depression by targeting the cognitive distortions described in Beck's cognitive triad. Paper 2 style Easy 3 marks No calculator + 12 Marking analysis: A learner attempts the following task: “Explain how cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) aims to treat depression by targeting the cognitive distortions described in Beck's cognitive triad.” Their response addresses only this point: “Explains that CBT helps patients identify their automatic negative thoughts about themselves, the world, and the future as they occur in daily situations.” Evaluate the response against the complete 3-mark task. Identify what earns credit and state every additional requirement needed for full marks. Marking analysis Easy 3 marks No calculator + 13 Outline a biological explanation for obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) involving abnormal activity in the orbitofrontal cortex. Paper 2 style Easy 2 marks No calculator + 14 Marking analysis: A learner attempts the following task: “Outline a biological explanation for obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) involving abnormal activity in the orbitofrontal cortex.” Their response addresses only this point: “States that brain imaging studies have found abnormally increased activity in the orbitofrontal cortex (and related circuits) in individuals with OCD.” Evaluate the response against the complete 2-mark task. Identify what earns credit and state every additional requirement needed for full marks. Marking analysis Easy 2 marks No calculator + 15 Explain the cognitive explanation of OCD based on 'inflated responsibility', using the example of a person who repeatedly checks that the stove is off. Paper 2 style Easy 3 marks No calculator + 16 Marking analysis: A learner attempts the following task: “Explain the cognitive explanation of OCD based on 'inflated responsibility', using the example of a person who repeatedly checks that the stove is off.” Their response addresses only this point: “Explains that inflated responsibility refers to a cognitive bias in which a person significantly overestimates their personal responsibility for preventing a harmful outcome, even a highly unlikely one.” Evaluate the response against the complete 3-mark task. Identify what earns credit and state every additional requirement needed for full marks. Marking analysis Easy 3 marks No calculator + 17 Outline how exposure and response prevention (ERP) is used to treat OCD, and explain the psychological principle underlying why it is effective. Paper 2 style Easy 3 marks No calculator + 18 Marking analysis: A learner attempts the following task: “Outline how exposure and response prevention (ERP) is used to treat OCD, and explain the psychological principle underlying why it is effective.” Their response addresses only this point: “Outlines that ERP gradually exposes the patient to the situation that triggers their obsessive anxiety (e.g., leaving the stove unchecked) while preventing them from performing the usual compulsive response (checking).” Evaluate the response against the complete 3-mark task. Identify what earns credit and state every additional requirement needed for full marks. Marking analysis Easy 3 marks No calculator + 19 Explain how cultural factors can influence the expression or diagnosis of a mental disorder, using the concept of a culture-bound syndrome. Paper 2 style Easy 3 marks No calculator + 20 Marking analysis: A learner attempts the following task: “Explain how cultural factors can influence the expression or diagnosis of a mental disorder, using the concept of a culture-bound syndrome.” Their response addresses only this point: “Defines a culture-bound syndrome as a pattern of abnormal behaviour or distress that is recognized and named as a distinct disorder within a specific culture, but may not map neatly onto diagnostic categories used elsewhere.” Evaluate the response against the complete 3-mark task. Identify what earns credit and state every additional requirement needed for full marks. Marking analysis Easy 3 marks No calculator + 21 Explain what is meant by comorbidity and why it complicates diagnosis and treatment, using depression and anxiety as an example. Paper 2 style Easy 3 marks No calculator + 22 Marking analysis: A learner attempts the following task: “Explain what is meant by comorbidity and why it complicates diagnosis and treatment, using depression and anxiety as an example.” Their response addresses only this point: “Defines comorbidity as the presence of two or more disorders in the same person at the same time.” Evaluate the response against the complete 3-mark task. Identify what earns credit and state every additional requirement needed for full marks. Marking analysis Easy 3 marks No calculator + 23 Explain what is meant by resilience and outline one protective factor that may reduce the risk of developing depression. Paper 2 style Easy 3 marks No calculator + 24 Marking analysis: A learner attempts the following task: “Explain what is meant by resilience and outline one protective factor that may reduce the risk of developing depression.” Their response addresses only this point: “Defines resilience as the capacity to cope with adversity and recover without developing a disorder.” Evaluate the response against the complete 3-mark task. Identify what earns credit and state every additional requirement needed for full marks. Marking analysis Easy 3 marks No calculator + 25 Explain how stigma towards mental illness can discourage people from seeking treatment. Paper 2 style Easy 3 marks No calculator + 26 Marking analysis: A learner attempts the following task: “Explain how stigma towards mental illness can discourage people from seeking treatment.” Their response addresses only this point: “Defines stigma as negative attitudes and stereotypes attached to people with mental disorders.” Evaluate the response against the complete 3-mark task. Identify what earns credit and state every additional requirement needed for full marks. Marking analysis Easy 3 marks No calculator + 27 State one strength and one limitation of using a case study to investigate a rare disorder. Paper 2 style Easy 2 marks No calculator + 28 Marking analysis: A learner attempts the following task: “State one strength and one limitation of using a case study to investigate a rare disorder.” Their response addresses only this point: “States a strength such as rich, detailed data that capture the individual's lived experience and can generate hypotheses.” Evaluate the response against the complete 2-mark task. Identify what earns credit and state every additional requirement needed for full marks. Marking analysis Easy 2 marks No calculator + 29 Explain two ethical considerations in researching people who are currently experiencing a severe mental disorder. Paper 2 style Easy 2 marks No calculator + 30 Marking analysis: A learner attempts the following task: “Explain two ethical considerations in researching people who are currently experiencing a severe mental disorder.” Their response addresses only this point: “Explains that informed consent requires capacity to understand the study, which may be reduced, so extra safeguards (e.g. guardian involvement) may be needed.” Evaluate the response against the complete 2-mark task. Identify what earns credit and state every additional requirement needed for full marks. Marking analysis Easy 2 marks No calculator + Self-assessed 0 / 0
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