4.1.4 BEHAVIOURAL APPROACH TO TREATING PHOBIAS

Question 1

what is systematic desensitisation?

Answer 1

• the main behaviourist therapy to treat phobias
• is designed to slowly rescue the anxiety caused by the phobia using classical conditioning
• if the patient can learn a new response to the phobic stimulus, as well as learn to relax in the presence of the phobia, they’ll be cured

Question 2

what are the three processes involved in systematic desensitisation?

Answer 2

1) anxiety hierarchy
2) relaxation
3) exposure

Question 3

what is the anxiety hierarchy?

Answer 3

• the patient and therapist work together to construct an anxiety hierarchy
• this is a list of situations that involve the phobic stimulus from least to most frightening

Question 4

what is relaxation?

Answer 4

• it’s impossible to be afraid and relaxed at the same time
• the therapist teaches the patient relaxation techniques
• this could be breathing exercises/imaging techniques, where the patient imagines themselves in a relaxing environment
• it could also include medication if needed to help the patient relax, like Valium

Question 5

what is exposure?

Answer 5

• whilst in a relaxed state the patient is exposed to the phobic tumulus starting at the bottom of the hierarchy
• likely to take several sessions
• once they are comfortable + relaxed in the lower levels, they move up the scale
• aim = allow the patient to be successful + move up to the top of the hierarchy, whilst remaining relaxed

Question 6

what are some strengths of systematic desensitisation?

Question 7

what are some limitations of desensitisation?

Question 8

what is flooding?

Answer 8

• this therapy works with a patient and therapist
• flooding doesn’t have the gradual build-up of the hierarchy
• the patient is flooded with their phobia

Question 9

what is the process of flooding?

Answer 9

• patient will be flooded with immediate exposure to their phobia
• flooding stops the phobic responses quickly
• likely because the patient cannot avoid the phobia in the flooding situation and therefore their irrational behaviour of avoidance is stopped and the patient realises the phobic stimulus is harmless
• therefore the phobic response stops and the learned response is extinguished
• counterconditioning happens and the patient learns to relax around the phobic stimulus instead of the anxiety they faced before

Question 10

what are some strengths of flooding?

Answer 10

1) it’s cost-effective
- individual flooding sessions usually longer than systematic desensitisation sessions, often much fewer are needed
- lots of cases only need 1

2) flooding has higher rates of success than any other behavioural treatment

3) works very well with ‘simple’ phobias
- eg) phobias of one specific thing / object

Question 11

what are some limitations of flooding?

Answer 11

1) very traumatic for the patient and unpleasant

2) if patient panics and treatment isn’t completed
- may leave them with an even worse fear/phobia than before

3) less effective with more complex phobias, like social phobias

4) not suitable for individuals who aren’t in good health
- extreme levels of stress and anxiety caused during the session are very stressful on the body
- could cause a heart attack