4.3: Treating phobias

Question 1

Explain how relaxation and the hierarchy components of systematic desensitisation are used to treat phobias (4 marks)

Answer 1

The relaxation component of systematic desensitisation works by patients learning in stages to replace fear responses with feelings of calm by using relaxation strategies

Question 2

Explain how relaxation and the hierarchy components of systematic desensitisation are used to treat phobias (4 marks).
The relaxation component of systematic desensitisation works by patients learning in stages to replace fear responses with feelings of calm by using relaxation strategies, such as what?

Answer 2

The relaxation component of systematic desensitisation works by patients learning in stages to replace fear responses with feelings of calm by using relaxation strategies, such as slowing their breathing

Question 3

Explain how relaxation and the hierarchy components of systematic desensitisation are used to treat phobias (4 marks).
The relaxation component of systematic desensitisation works by patients learning in stages to replace fear responses with feelings of calm by using relaxation strategies, such as slowing their breathing.
What is constructed before systematic desensitisation commences?

Answer 3

A hierarchy is constructed before systematic desensitisation commences

Question 4

Explain how relaxation and the hierarchy components of systematic desensitisation are used to treat phobias (4 marks).
The relaxation component of systematic desensitisation works by patients learning in stages to replace fear responses with feelings of calm by using relaxation strategies, such as slowing their breathing.
A hierarchy is constructed before systematic desensitisation commences.
What does this involve?

Answer 4

This involves creating a scale of feared types of contact with a phobic object/situation and patients then working through the hierarchy

Question 5

Explain how relaxation and the hierarchy components of systematic desensitisation are used to treat phobias (4 marks).
The relaxation component of systematic desensitisation works by patients learning in stages to replace fear responses with feelings of calm by using relaxation strategies, such as slowing their breathing.
A hierarchy is constructed before systematic desensitisation commences.
This involves creating a scale of feared types of contact with a phobic object/situation and patients then working through the hierarchy, how?

Answer 5

This involves creating a scale of feared types of contact with a phobic object/situation and patients then working through the hierarchy, from the least to the most feared scenarios

Question 6

Explain how relaxation and the hierarchy components of systematic desensitisation are used to treat phobias (4 marks).
The relaxation component of systematic desensitisation works by patients learning in stages to replace fear responses with feelings of calm by using relaxation strategies, such as slowing their breathing.
A hierarchy is constructed before systematic desensitisation commences.
This involves creating a scale of feared types of contact with a phobic object/situation and patients then working through the hierarchy, from the least to the most feared scenarios, using relaxation strategies to do what?

Answer 6

This involves creating a scale of feared types of contact with a phobic object/situation and patients then working through the hierarchy, from the least to the most feared scenarios, using relaxation strategies to create sensations of calm

Question 7

Tommy is six years old and has a phobia about birds. His mother is worried because he now refuses to go outside. She says, ‘Tommy used to love playing in the garden and going to the park to play football with his friends, but he is spending more and more time watching TV and on the computer’.

A psychologist has suggested treating Tommy’s fear of birds using systematic desensitisation.
Explain how this procedure could be used to help Tommy overcome his phobia (4 marks)

Answer 7

Tommy would be taught relaxation techniques that he could use when he encounters birds as part of the therapy

Question 8

Tommy is six years old and has a phobia about birds. His mother is worried because he now refuses to go outside. She says, ‘Tommy used to love playing in the garden and going to the park to play football with his friends, but he is spending more and more time watching TV and on the computer’.

A psychologist has suggested treating Tommy’s fear of birds using systematic desensitisation.
Explain how this procedure could be used to help Tommy overcome his phobia (4 marks).
Tommy would be taught relaxation techniques that he could use when he encounters birds as part of the therapy.
How would Tommy devise his hierarchy?

Answer 8

Tommy would devise his hierarchy so that it reflects his least to most feared bird situation

Question 9

Tommy is six years old and has a phobia about birds. His mother is worried because he now refuses to go outside. She says, ‘Tommy used to love playing in the garden and going to the park to play football with his friends, but he is spending more and more time watching TV and on the computer’.

A psychologist has suggested treating Tommy’s fear of birds using systematic desensitisation.
Explain how this procedure could be used to help Tommy overcome his phobia (4 marks).
Tommy would be taught relaxation techniques that he could use when he encounters birds as part of the therapy.
Tommy would devise his hierarchy so that it reflects his least to most feared bird situation (for example what?)

Answer 9

Tommy would devise his hierarchy so that it reflects his least to most feared bird situation (for example, small picture of a sparrow, then a small bird through a window)

Question 10

Tommy is six years old and has a phobia about birds. His mother is worried because he now refuses to go outside. She says, ‘Tommy used to love playing in the garden and going to the park to play football with his friends, but he is spending more and more time watching TV and on the computer’.

A psychologist has suggested treating Tommy’s fear of birds using systematic desensitisation.
Explain how this procedure could be used to help Tommy overcome his phobia (4 marks).
Tommy would be taught relaxation techniques that he could use when he encounters birds as part of the therapy.
Tommy would devise his hierarchy so that it reflects his least to most feared bird situation (for example, small picture of a sparrow, then a small bird through a window).
What would then happen?

Answer 10

Tommy would then be exposed to birds gradually

Question 11

Tommy is six years old and has a phobia about birds. His mother is worried because he now refuses to go outside. She says, ‘Tommy used to love playing in the garden and going to the park to play football with his friends, but he is spending more and more time watching TV and on the computer’.

A psychologist has suggested treating Tommy’s fear of birds using systematic desensitisation.
Explain how this procedure could be used to help Tommy overcome his phobia (4 marks).
Tommy would be taught relaxation techniques that he could use when he encounters birds as part of the therapy.
Tommy would devise his hierarchy so that it reflects his least to most feared bird situation (for example, small picture of a sparrow, then a small bird through a window).
Tommy would then be exposed to birds gradually, ensuring what?

Answer 11

Tommy would then be exposed to birds gradually, ensuring he is relaxed at each stage

Question 12

Saira has a fear of cats. Her fear stops her from going anywhere she thinks she might see a cat.

Explain how Saira’s phobia could be treated using systematic desensitisation (4 marks)

Answer 12

Saira must be taught to relax

Question 13

Saira has a fear of cats. Her fear stops her from going anywhere she thinks she might see a cat.

Explain how Saira’s phobia could be treated using systematic desensitisation (4 marks).
Saira must be taught to relax.
What must be drawn up?

Answer 13

An anxiety hierarchy must be drawn up

Question 14

Saira has a fear of cats. Her fear stops her from going anywhere she thinks she might see a cat.

Explain how Saira’s phobia could be treated using systematic desensitisation (4 marks).
Saira must be taught to relax.
An anxiety hierarchy must be drawn up, for example what?

Answer 14

An anxiety hierarchy must be drawn up, for example saying the word ‘cat’, holding a picture of a cat and walking the street where cats are roaming

Question 15

Saira has a fear of cats. Her fear stops her from going anywhere she thinks she might see a cat.

Explain how Saira’s phobia could be treated using systematic desensitisation (4 marks).
Saira must be taught to relax.
An anxiety hierarchy must be drawn up, for example saying the word ‘cat’, holding a picture of a cat and walking the street where cats are roaming.
What would Saira do?

Answer 15

Saira would work through the hierarchy gradually

Question 16

Saira has a fear of cats. Her fear stops her from going anywhere she thinks she might see a cat.

Explain how Saira’s phobia could be treated using systematic desensitisation (4 marks).
Saira must be taught to relax.
An anxiety hierarchy must be drawn up, for example saying the word ‘cat’, holding a picture of a cat and walking the street where cats are roaming.
Saira would work through the hierarchy gradually, being relaxed at each exposure until what?

Answer 16

Saira would work through the hierarchy gradually, being relaxed at each exposure until the most feared step is responded to with relaxation

Question 17

Saira has a fear of cats. Her fear stops her from going anywhere she thinks she might see a cat.

Explain how Saira’s phobia could be treated using systematic desensitisation (4 marks).
Saira must be taught to relax.
An anxiety hierarchy must be drawn up, for example saying the word ‘cat’, holding a picture of a cat and walking the street where cats are roaming.
Saira would work through the hierarchy gradually, being relaxed at each exposure until the most feared step is responded to with relaxation.
What must happen?

Answer 17

The bond between the CS (cat) and CR (fear) must be broken

Question 18

Saira has a fear of cats. Her fear stops her from going anywhere she thinks she might see a cat.

Explain how Saira’s phobia could be treated using systematic desensitisation (4 marks).
Saira must be taught to relax.
An anxiety hierarchy must be drawn up, for example saying the word ‘cat’, holding a picture of a cat and walking the street where cats are roaming.
Saira would work through the hierarchy gradually, being relaxed at each exposure until the most feared step is responded to with relaxation.
The bond between the CS (cat) and CR (fear) must be broken by doing what?

Answer 18

The bond between the CS (cat) and CR (fear) must be broken by replacing the fear response with an antagonistic response

Question 19

Saira has a fear of cats. Her fear stops her from going anywhere she thinks she might see a cat.

Explain how Saira’s phobia could be treated using systematic desensitisation (4 marks).
Saira must be taught to relax.
An anxiety hierarchy must be drawn up, for example saying the word ‘cat’, holding a picture of a cat and walking the street where cats are roaming.
Saira would work through the hierarchy gradually, being relaxed at each exposure until the most feared step is responded to with relaxation.
The bond between the CS (cat) and CR (fear) must be broken by replacing the fear response with an antagonistic response - what?

Answer 19

The bond between the CS (cat) and CR (fear) must be broken by replacing the fear response with an antagonistic response – relaxation

Question 20

Explain how a hierarchy and relaxation might be used in the treatment of someone who has a phobia of wasps (4 marks)

Answer 20

A hierarchy is a list designed by the therapist and client into an order of least feared to most feared situations

Question 21

Explain how a hierarchy and relaxation might be used in the treatment of someone who has a phobia of wasps (4 marks).
A hierarchy is a list designed by the therapist and client into an order of least feared to most feared situations.
What will the client and therapist do?

Answer 21

The client and therapist will identify fearful situations involving a wasp

Question 22

Explain how a hierarchy and relaxation might be used in the treatment of someone who has a phobia of wasps (4 marks).
A hierarchy is a list designed by the therapist and client into an order of least feared to most feared situations.
The client and therapist will identify fearful situations involving a wasp, such as what?

Answer 22

The client and therapist will identify fearful situations involving a wasp, such a seeing a picture of a wasp or seeing one in a jar

Question 23

Explain how a hierarchy and relaxation might be used in the treatment of someone who has a phobia of wasps (4 marks).
A hierarchy is a list designed by the therapist and client into an order of least feared to most feared situations.
The client and therapist will identify fearful situations involving a wasp, such a seeing a picture of a wasp or seeing one in a jar, and will do that?

Answer 23

The client and therapist will identify fearful situations involving a wasp, such a seeing a picture of a wasp or seeing one in a jar, and will rank these from lowest to highest

Question 24

Explain how a hierarchy and relaxation might be used in the treatment of someone who has a phobia of wasps (4 marks).
A hierarchy is a list designed by the therapist and client into an order of least feared to most feared situations.
The client and therapist will identify fearful situations involving a wasp, such a seeing a picture of a wasp or seeing one in a jar, and will rank these from lowest to highest.
How will the client use relaxation?

Answer 24

The client will use relaxation in many ways

Question 25

Explain how a hierarchy and relaxation might be used in the treatment of someone who has a phobia of wasps (4 marks).
A hierarchy is a list designed by the therapist and client into an order of least feared to most feared situations.
The client and therapist will identify fearful situations involving a wasp, such a seeing a picture of a wasp or seeing one in a jar, and will rank these from lowest to highest.
The client will use relaxation in many ways, for example by what?

Answer 25

The client will use relaxation in many ways, for example by controlling their breathing, visualising a peaceful scene or progressive muscle relaxation

Question 26

Explain how a hierarchy and relaxation might be used in the treatment of someone who has a phobia of wasps (4 marks).
A hierarchy is a list designed by the therapist and client into an order of least feared to most feared situations.
The client and therapist will identify fearful situations involving a wasp, such a seeing a picture of a wasp or seeing one in a jar, and will rank these from lowest to highest.
The client will use relaxation in many ways, for example by controlling their breathing, visualising a peaceful scene or progressive muscle relaxation.
What can the therapist do?

Answer 26

The therapist can show the client a picture of a wasp, encourage the client to use their calming technique(s) to relax and not move on until they are relaxed

Question 27

Mia has a phobia of eating in public. She is about to go to university where she knows that she will have to eat her meals in a large dining hall surrounded by other students.
Describe how a therapist might use systematic de-sensitisation to help Mia overcome her phobia of eating in social situations (4 marks)

Answer 27

First the therapist would teach Mia how to relax, using a technique that would allow deep muscle relaxation

Question 28

Mia has a phobia of eating in public. She is about to go to university where she knows that she will have to eat her meals in a large dining hall surrounded by other students.
Describe how a therapist might use systematic de-sensitisation to help Mia overcome her phobia of eating in social situations (4 marks).
First the therapist would teach Mia how to relax, using a technique that would allow deep muscle relaxation.
Then,

Answer 28

Then, together the therapist and Mia would construct an anxiety hierarchy, starting with the least feared situation, such as looking at pictures of people sitting at tables in a café just talking and drinking coffee, working up to the most feared situation, such as Mia eating in a restaurant full of people

Question 29

Mia has a phobia of eating in public. She is about to go to university where she knows that she will have to eat her meals in a large dining hall surrounded by other students.
Describe how a therapist might use systematic de-sensitisation to help Mia overcome her phobia of eating in social situations (4 marks).
First the therapist would teach Mia how to relax, using a technique that would allow deep muscle relaxation.
Then, together the therapist and Mia would construct an anxiety hierarchy, starting with the least feared situation, such as looking at pictures of people sitting at tables in a café just talking and drinking coffee, working up to the most feared situation, such as Mia eating in a restaurant full of people.
How would the therapist start?

Answer 29

The therapist would start by showing Mia pictures and helping her to remain relaxed, then perhaps getting her to sit in a café, but without eating anything, and then continuing up the hierarchy until her phobia is gone