The feeling-state theory proposes that impulse control disorders are caused by intense positive feelings that become associated with an experience such as stealing or gambling.

Mark scheme

Marking points from the official mark scheme (Oct/Nov 2018). The mark or mark type is shown in brackets.

1. Marks: use generic levels of response Design a study question part (a).
2. Additional: Candidates should design the study showing evidence of design features appropriate to the named method. The named method is: experiment.
3. Typical features:
4. ∞ Experiments: type, IV, DV, controls, experimental design.
5. ∞ Typical features of research methodology: sampling technique and sample, type of data, ethics, reliability, validity, data analysis.
6. Marks: use generic levels of response 'Design a study' question part (b).
7. Note: If only methodological or psychological explanation is provided max 5 marks
8. Candidates are expected to explain the reasons for the suggested design in part (a). Explanation should be both psychological and methodological. Psychological to include appropriate theory or research.
9. Additional: candidates are expected to justify their decisions or evidence presented regarding the design made in answer to question part (a).
10. Syllabus: causes of impulse control disorders and non-substance addictive disorder: behavioural: positive reinforcement.
11. Psychological: Miller (2010) Abstract: Impulse-control disorders such as pathological gambling, sexual addiction, and compulsive shopping cause enormous suffering in people's lives. The feeling-state theory of impulse-control disorders postulates that these disorders are created when intense positive feelings become linked with specific behaviours. The effect of this linkage is that, to generate the same feeling, the person compulsively reenacts the behavior related to that original positive-feeling event, even if detrimental to his or her own well- being. This reenactment creates the impulse-control disorder. The therapy described in this article is the Impulse-Control Disorder Protocol (ICDP), which uses a modified form of eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) to address these fixations. A case study of an individual with pathological gambling illustrates the application of ICDP.
12. Methodological: explanation of method using typical features as above.