Addiction Models

[ravestar11Member]

I have a question about the models of addiction and the relation to the specification. Do candidates need to learn the biological, cognitive and learning model separately, or are the models always associated with smoking/gambling? In other waords the Dog book refers to the models on thier own, talking about alchol abuse and so forth but am I right in thinking that a question in relation to just a single model could not come up because the specification links the models and the addiction to gambling/smoking?

Thank you for your help in advance

[Cara FlanaganMember]

Hello

The specification has changed and we are just producing new spreads for the topic. The emphasis is now definitely just on smoking and gambling. So you need to know how the learning approach would explain initiation, maintenance and relapse for smoking and for gambling. And the same for the biological and cognitive approaches. Questions on each of those topics are likely to be 4+8 marks max.

So questions can definitely come up on a single model. In fact one question in January was ‘Outline and evaluate the biological approach to explaining smoking behaviour’. (4+4 marks)

Hope that makes sense.

Cara

[ravestar11Member]

Thanks for clearing that up! So would you advise I don’t use the dog book right now for revision of the models? It has confused me quite a bit, because there is also a section that talks about the explanations of gambling and smoking at the end of the division in the book. I odnt know whether I should look at this spread ONLY or pick out things to do with gambling and smoking fromm all the spreads to do with the models?

Also, Cara for A01 of such questions do we need to know theory or can candidates use studies as A01 instead and then of course use evaluation studies as A02? I am asking this because there are so many theories that dont have studies and I dont know whether to learn the theory or a study for A01?

Thanks Cara, you’ve been brilliant

[Cara FlanaganMember]

Hello

I think I would use the spread on smoking and gambling and supplement these where necessary with the other spreads, as you suggest.

You can use theories or studies for AO1. For genetic explanations often the studies are what you have to use otherwise I would go for theories where possible. Be prepared to use this knowledge in an ‘applying your knowledge question’.

Good questions!

Cara

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