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treatments & therapies

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4 detailed 50-minute lessons with teaching scripts, worked examples, parent guides, and assessment criteria.

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Lesson Overview

Total Lessons: 4
Tier: Foundation and Higher
Duration: 50 minutes per lesson (200 minutes total)
Exam Boards: AQA, Edexcel, OCR, Eduqas, CCEA

Learning Objectives

Prerequisites

Materials & Equipment

Lesson 1: Introduction: treatments & therapies

Duration: 50 minutes

Starter Activity (5 minutes)

Quick Recall

Write down everything you already know about treatments & therapies. Then check against the key terms: Psychology Exam Tips. Use a mini-whiteboard or paper.

Main Content (35 minutes)

Parent/Teacher Guide:
Before lesson: Read the script below. Pre-teach key vocab: Psychology Exam Tips.
If stuck: Re-read the revision notes (link above), then break the content into smaller steps.
Extension: See the Stretch & Challenge ideas in Lesson 4.
Teaching Script (35 mins):
Mins 0-5 - Hook: "Today: treatments & therapies. By the end you will be able to answer exam questions on it unaided. It connects to the rest of Psychology because the ideas here recur across the spec."
Mins 5-20 - Direct Instruction: Work through the core ideas below one at a time; after each, ask your student to explain it back in their own words.
Mins 20-30 - Guided Practice: Model the worked example together, then let your student attempt the first practice question with guidance.
Mins 30-35 - Independent Practice: 2-3 practice questions from Lesson 3 below, with immediate feedback.
First Look

Start with the revision notes summary, then attempt: Describe how systematic desensitisation works and explain why it is effective for treating phobias.

Plenary (5 minutes)

Check Out

Your student states one thing they learned and one question they still have about treatments & therapies.

Lesson 2: Core Concepts: treatments & therapies

Duration: 50 minutes

Starter Activity (5 minutes)

Review Previous Lesson

Quick recap: write 3 key points from Lesson 1 on treatments & therapies. Check them against the notes below.

Main Content (35 minutes)

Key Fact: CBT (Cognitive Behavioural Therapy): identifies and challenges irrational/negative thoughts, tests them against evidence, and develops more realistic beliefs. Used for depression, anxiety, OCD, and phobias. Typical course: 6-20 sessions. Homework between sessions (thought records, behavioural experiments).
Key Fact: Systematic desensitisation (Wolpe): a behavioural therapy for phobias. Step 1: relaxation training (deep breathing, muscle relaxation). Step 2: construct anxiety hierarchy (least to most feared situations). Step 3: gradually expose patient to feared stimulus while maintaining relaxation, progressing up the hierarchy. Based on counterconditioning (replacing fear response with relaxation).
Key Fact: Drug therapy: SSRIs (e.g. Prozac) for depression - increase serotonin by blocking reuptake. Benzodiazepines (e.g. Valium) for anxiety - enhance GABA (inhibitory neurotransmitter) to calm brain activity. Antipsychotics (e.g. chlorpromazine) for schizophrenia - block dopamine receptors.
Key Fact: Evaluating CBT: strengths - addresses root causes (negative thinking), no side effects, skills for long-term management, effective for many conditions. Limitations - requires motivation and effort, not suitable for severe symptoms (too unwell to engage), limited therapist availability, takes time (weeks-months).
Key Fact: Evaluating drug therapy: strengths - rapid effect (especially benzodiazepines), easy to take, effective for many, widely available. Limitations - side effects (weight gain, insomnia, dependency for benzodiazepines), treats symptoms not causes, withdrawal effects, 30-40% don't respond, placebo effect is significant.
Psychology Exam Tips: When evaluating treatments, consider: does it address causes or symptoms? Are effects long-lasting? What are the side effects? Is it accessible? Use specific research evidence (March et al., McGrath et al.) to support evaluation.

Practice (10 minutes)

Q: Describe how systematic desensitisation works and explain why it is effective for treating phobias.

Answer: Systematic desensitisation: (1) Teach relaxation techniques. (2) Build anxiety hierarchy (e.g. for spider phobia: picture -> toy spider -> small spider in jar -> large spider). (3) Patient relaxes while exposed to each step, moving up when anxiety is minimal. Effective because: it replaces the fear response with relaxation (counterconditioning), it's gradual (not overwhelming), and the patient maintains control. McGrath et al. found 75% success rate for phobias.

Plenary (5 minutes)

Explain Back

Your student teaches the key points back to you without looking. Fill any gaps immediately.

Lesson 3: Application: treatments & therapies

Duration: 50 minutes

Starter Activity (5 minutes)

Quick Recall

Recall the key terms: Psychology Exam Tips. Define each in one sentence.

Main Content (35 minutes)

Parent/Teacher Guide: Let your student attempt each question alone first, then compare with the model answer. Award method marks for correct working even if the final answer is wrong.

Q1: Describe how systematic desensitisation works and explain why it is effective for treating phobias.

Answer: Systematic desensitisation: (1) Teach relaxation techniques. (2) Build anxiety hierarchy (e.g. for spider phobia: picture -> toy spider -> small spider in jar -> large spider). (3) Patient relaxes while exposed to each step, moving up when anxiety is minimal. Effective because: it replaces the fear response with relaxation (counterconditioning), it's gradual (not overwhelming), and the patient maintains control. McGrath et al. found 75% success rate for phobias.

Q2: Compare CBT and drug therapy as treatments for mental health problems.

Answer: CBT: addresses thinking patterns (root causes), teaches long-term skills, no side effects, effective for depression/anxiety. But: slow, requires effort, limited availability. Drug therapy: fast-acting, easy to prescribe, widely available. But: side effects, treats symptoms not causes, dependency risk (benzodiazepines), relapse when stopped. Combined: March et al. found CBT + SSRI most effective for adolescent depression.

Q3: Evaluate whether biological or psychological treatments are more effective for mental health problems.

Answer: Neither is universally more effective - it depends on the condition and severity. Severe depression/schizophrenia: medication essential first. Mild-moderate depression/anxiety: CBT may be sufficient. Phobias: systematic desensitisation is highly effective. Combined approaches often work best. Evidence-based practice recommends matching treatment to the individual's specific needs and preferences.

Plenary (5 minutes)

Error Review

Review any questions answered incorrectly. Identify whether the error was knowledge, method, or reading the question.

Lesson 4: Exam Practice: treatments & therapies

Duration: 50 minutes

Starter Activity (5 minutes)

Command Words

Review what these command words require: state (one point), describe (say what happens), explain (say why), compare (both sides), evaluate (judgement).

Main Content (35 minutes)

Extended Answer

Extended question: Full-Mark Response Evaluate the effectiveness of psychological and biological treatments for mental health problems. <div class="

A grade 9 response will: describe CBT, systematic desensitisation, and drug therapy with mechanisms; evaluate each treatment (strengths and limitations with specific research evidence); compare effectiveness across conditions (drugs for severe, CBT for mild-moderate, combined for best results); discuss issues (placebo effect, individual differences, access to therapy); conclude: no single treatment is best for all conditions - effective treatment should be personalised, evidence-based, and where appropriate combine biological and psychological approaches. The biopsychosocial model supports integrated treatment.

Exam Tips: Systematic desensitisation: 1) Relax, 2) Hierarchy, 3) Gradual exposure with relaxation. Replace FEAR with RELAXATION. | CBT = change THOUGHTS to change BEHAVIOUR and EMOTIONS. Drugs = change BRAIN CHEMISTRY to change mood. | Combined treatment (drugs + therapy) is often most effective for moderate-severe conditions.
Common Errors: Watch Out! Students often make mistakes here. Wrong: Drug therapy is always the best treatment for mental health problems because it directly addresses the biological causes. Correct: While drug therapy addresses biological symptoms, it doesn't address the psychological and social factors that contribute to mental health problems. CBT is as effective as medication for mild-moderate depression and more effective at preventing relapse. For phobias, systematic desensitisation is more effective than drugs. The best treatment depends on the specific condition, severity, and individual preferences. A biopsychosocial approach suggests combined treatment is often most effective.
Stretch & Challenge (Grade 8-9):
  • Synoptic links: explain how treatments & therapies connects to another Psychology topic you have studied
  • Real-world: research one real-world use or example of treatments & therapies
  • Critical: "What are the limitations of the models used in treatments & therapies?"

Plenary (5 minutes)

Assessment Criteria
  • Got it: Confident explanation + correct worked examples
  • Getting there: Main points OK, needs support with detail
  • Not yet: Confused on key concepts - re-run Lesson 2

Homework & Consolidation

Recommended Resources

🎓 Smart Lesson (Guided)