Anxiety

Question 1

What is the DSM-5 criteria for a phobia?

Answer 1

• Marked fear/anxiety about an object or situation which is actively avoided
• Fear/anxiety is out of proportion to the actual threat posed
• Lasting 6 or more months

Question 2

What are phobic beliefs?

Answer 2

• Dysfunctional set of beliefs about phobic object/event

- Rarely challenged as avoidance means theories cannot be disconfirmed

Question 3

What’s Mowrer’s 2 factor model of phobias?

Answer 3

• Pairing of stimulus with aversive UCS leads to fear

- Avoidance maintained through negative reinforcement

Question 4

What are the issues with conditional accounts of phobias?

Answer 4

• Many phobics cannot recall traumatic event and not all those with trauma have phobias
• Phobias only seem to develop in response to certain stimuli and events

Question 5

What is the biological preparedness theory?

Answer 5

• Evolutionary pressures have developed predispositions to quickly learn fear for certain stimuli
• Sustained GSR for shock coupled with snake imagery

Question 6

How is the disgust response related to phobias?

Answer 6

High levels of disgust sensitivity seen in people with phobias for small animals, insects and blood/injection/injury

Question 7

Name the 2 main types of phobia conditioning

Answer 7

• Exposure therapies

- Counter conditioning

Question 8

What is the DSM-5 criteria for social anxiety?

Answer 8

Marked fear or anxiety about one or more social situations in which the individual is exposed to possible scrutiny by others.

Question 9

Name a diagnostic tool for anxiety

Answer 9

Composite International Diagnostic Interview (WHO)

Question 10

What are comorbidities?

Answer 10

Social phobias associated with substance abuse and depression, occuring after onset of social phobia

Question 11

To what extent is genetics implicated in social anxiety?

Answer 11

Genetic factors estimated to account for 13% of the variance in social fears

Question 12

What are the cognitive factors affecting social anxiety?

Answer 12

• Negative information and interpretation bias

- Attention is self-focused and indulge in excessive post-event processing

Question 13

What are the 3 drug treatments for anxiety?

Answer 13

• Benzodiazepines
• Monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MOI)
• Selective Serotonin reuptake inhibitors

Question 14

What are 3 cognitive behavioural therapies for anxiety?

Answer 14

• exposure therapy
• social skills training
• cognitive restructuring

Question 15

Describe cognitive restructuring

Answer 15

• Addressing of negative schemas

- Identification of illogical assumptions