4.2.3 Behavioural treatments of phobias

Question 1

Explain the main point of systematic desensitisation?

Answer 1

This is the main behaviourist therapy to treat phobias and it is designed to slowly reduce the anxiety caused by the phobia using classical conditioning.

Question 2

What are the 3 points in systematic desensitisation?

Answer 2

/Fear hierarchy
/Relaxation techniques
/Exposure

Question 3

Explain fear hierarchy?

Answer 3

The patient and therapist work together to construct an fear hierarchy, which is a list of situations that involve the phobic stimulus from least to most frightening.

Question 4

Explain relaxation techniques?

Answer 4

This could be in the form of breathing exercises or using imagining techniques, where the patient imagines themselves in a relaxing environment. It could also include medication if needed to help the patient relax, such as Valium.

Question 5

Explain exposure?

Answer 5

Whilst in a relaxed state the patient is exposed to the phobic stimulus starting at the bottom of the hierarchy. This is likely to take several sessions between the patient and the therapist. Once the patient is comfortable and relaxed in the lower levels of the hierarchy, then they move up the scale.

Question 6

Strengths of systematic desensitisation?

Answer 6

/Has huge practical uses: Certain airlines use systematic desensitisation courses to help fearful flyers overcome their phobia.
/Research support: Gilroy et al. (2003) followed a group of 42 patients who had systematic desensitisation as a treatment for their spider phobia over three 45 minutes sessions and she found that at both 3 and 33 months they were less fearful and more in control of their phobia compared to the control group, who had not had any sessions.

Question 7

Limitations of systematic desensitisation?

Answer 7

/It is less effective for evolutionary therapies
/Systematic desensitisation doesn’t treat the cause of the phobia, only the behaviour it causes
/This may leave the patient vulnerable to other phobias developing as the real reason behind the fear has yet to be uncovered (Psychodynamic theory)
/Virtual reality systematic desensitisation is less effective than using real stimulus

Question 8

Explain the main point of flooding?

Answer 8

This therapy also works with a patient and therapist, however, flooding does not have the gradual build-up of the hierarchy, and instead, the patient is flooded with their phobia.

Question 9

Explain the process of flooding?

Answer 9

/Instant immediate exposure to their phobia
/Flooding stops the phobic responses quickly
/Patient cannot avoid the fear
/Counterconditioning happens and the patient learns to relax

Question 10

Strengths of flooding?

Answer 10

/It is cost-effective, although individual flooding sessions are usually longer than systematic desensitisations sessions, often much fewer sessions are needed, with lots of cases only needing one session to be cured of their phobia
/Flooding has higher rates of success than any other behavioural treatment
/Works very well with ‘simple’ phobias e.g. phobias of one specific thing or object

Question 11

Limitations of flooding?

Answer 11

/It is very traumatic for the patient and an unpleasant experience for them
/If the patient panics and the treatment is not completed, it may leave them with an even worse fear/phobia of the object/event
/Schumacher et al. (2015) found both patients and therapists rated flooding as significantly more stressful than systematic desensitisation
/Less effective with more complex phobias, such as social phobias
/It is not suitable for individuals who are not in good health as the extreme levels of stress and anxiety caused during the session are very stressful on the body and could cause heart attacks