4.1.11 Phobias (Treat)- Flooding

Question 1

Which learning theory is flooding based on?

Answer 1

Classical conditioning

Question 2

How is this theory used to treat phobias?

Answer 2

Replacing the fear through associating the phobia with relaxation.

Question 3

Why does using relaxation to replace fear work?

Answer 3

Because they are two opposing emotions which cannot be felt at the same time - reciprocal inhibition.

Question 4

Which form of exposure does flooding use?

Answer 4

In vivo

Question 5

Procedure?

Answer 5

Patients are exposed to the stimulus at the top of the anxiety hierarchy first
They experience extreme anxiety which eventually subsides through exhaustion
They then use relaxation techniques, such as meditation, to pair that with the phobic stimulus

Question 6

DESSERT-Different Treatment

Answer 6

P - Systematic desensitisation more effective
E - Willis and Edwards (1969) found SD was more effective on 50 females with phobias of mice
E - Flooding showed no more improvement than the control suggesting it is not as effective

Question 7

DESSERT-Expense

Answer 7

P - May be cheaper than systematic desensitisation
E - May only take one session or multiple closer together
E - Whereas systematic desensitisation can take up to 10 sessions and so cost of treatment would reduce

Question 8

DESSERT-Supporting studies

Answer 8

P - Wolitzky-Taylor et al (2008) supports
E - A metanalysis of 33 studies found that exposure based treatments were more effective compared to controls and psychodynamic therapies
E - Showing exposure based treatments were superior to alternative approaches in treating phobias
P - Wolpe (1970) supports
E - Took a girl who was scared of cars on a 4hr drive until she calmed down
E - She reported that although initially distressed, her phobia was removed and now enjoyed car rides

Question 9

DESSERT-Side effects

Answer 9

P - Side effects
E - Whilst there are no physical side effects it could cause trauma in the form of PTSD
E - This would make the phobia worse than it previously was

Question 10

DESSERT-Ethics

Answer 10

P - Unethical
E - It causes distress to a patient through forced exposure to the phobic stimulus
E - This would make it worse that it previously was due to cause psychological harm

Question 11

DESSERT-Reason/mask

Answer 11

P - Masks symptoms
E - Markes et al found that it lasted over 12 months before resurfacing through spontaneous recovery
E - This shows that is may only mask the symptoms rather than treating the cause, also being less effective than systematic desensitisation as that treatment creates a stronger disconnection between the phobia through the gradual exposure

Question 12

DESSERT-Time

Answer 12

P - High strength
E - Due to the potential for a smaller amount of sessions needed the patient will not have to commit for as long
E - Therefore minimising distractions that may affect the extinguishing of their phobia