Aversion Therapy (Behaviourist) Flashcards

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1
Q

How the behaviourist approach is applied to Aversion Therapy: Blank Slate

A
  • According to behaviourst approach, we are born as a blank slate, any behaviours are learned
  • Unlike biological approach, addictions such as alcoholism, smoking or overeating have developed due to experience rather than having a biological or physical cause
  • So Behavioursist believe we can ‘unlearn’ undesirable behaviour, and relearn a more appropriate one, = aim of AT
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2
Q

How the behaviourist approach is applied to Aversion Therapy: We learn through Conditioning

A
  • BA views addictive behaviour as being learnt through classical conditioning
  • The thing we are addicted to starts of as neutral stimulus, and we come to associate it with a positive outcome (UCR) such as feeling good.
  • AT aims to countercondition the person by creating a negative association with addictive source
  • Operant conditioning then play a role. By avoiding the ting we were addicted to we avoid the unpleasant feeling (sickness) so maintaining an abstinence is negatively reinforced
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3
Q

Components of Aversion Therapy: 1- Counter Conditioning

A
  • Based on counter conditioning
  • Client is presented with Aversive stimulus - causes a reaction of pain/ feeling sick
  • This is repeatedly paired with the undesirable behaviour e.g alcohol/ gambling/ smoking
  • Client now associates their undesirable behaviour with a new negative response so they now have an aversion for the behaviour
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4
Q

Components of Aversion Therapy:

2- Covert Sensitisation

A
  • Unique form of AT, less commonly used
  • Client uses ethir imagination rather than being exposed directly to aversive stimulus
  • Alcoholics imagine upsetting, repulsive or frightening scenarios
  • Clients may often be asked to imagine scenarios that get progressively worse - e.g. being sick, being sick on someone else, falling, seriously hurting themselves whilst being drunk
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5
Q

Components of Aversion Therapy: 3- Use of an aversive stimulus

A
  • Newer development to treat addiction such as alcohol addiction
  • Given drug called Antabuse, lasts a few hours
  • Antabuse causes unpleasant symptoms e.g. sweating, heart palpitations, headaches within 10 mins of drinking alcohol
  • Once a new conditioned association has been made between drinking alcohol & feeling sick, person will try to avoid such behaviours.
  • By avoiding alcohol, you are rewarded as you have avoided the unpleasant symptoms of Antabuse.
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6
Q

Evaluating the effectiveness of Aversion Therapy: Supporting research: Antabuse

POINT

A

P- There is research evidence to support the EFFECTIVENESS of Antabuse in treating alcohol addiction

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7
Q

Evaluating the effectiveness of Aversion Therapy: Supporting research: Antabuse

EVIDENCE

A

E - Neiderhoffen and Staffen (‘03) compared Antabuse to a placebo and found hat Antabuse patients had a longer period of abstinence compared to placebo group

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8
Q

Evaluating the effectiveness of Aversion Therapy: Supporting research: Antabuse

EXPLANATION

A

E- this suggests that the use of antabuse to provide the unpleasant stimuli is effective at treating serious addictions such as dependency on alcohol.

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9
Q

Evaluating the effectiveness of Aversion Therapy: Supporting research: Antabuse

CONTRAST

A

C - may be that AT is more effective when used alongside other ‘talking’ therapies rather than alone

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10
Q

Evaluating the effectiveness of Aversion Therapy: Supporting research: Rapid Smoking

POINT

A

P- There is evidence that the use of rapid smoking is effective treating addiction to cigarettes

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11
Q

Evaluating the effectiveness of Aversion Therapy:Supporting research: Rapid Smoking

EVIDENCE

A

E - McRobbie (‘07) found that ppts in the rapid smoking condition showed a significant decrease in their urge to smoke in the 24 hours, and then the week after rapid smoking than a control group who watched an anti-smoking video

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12
Q

Evaluating the effectiveness of Aversion Therapy:Supporting research: Rapid Smoking

EXPLAIN

A

E - this suggests rapid smoking is an effective unpleasant stimulus in using AT to break smoking addiction

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13
Q

Evaluating the effectiveness of Aversion Therapy:Supporting research: Rapid Smoking

CONTRAST

A

C - 4 weeks later, there were no significant differences in the amount of smoking between the 2 groups, therefore the use of AT in this research may have only had short term benefits

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14
Q

Evaluating the effectiveness of Aversion Therapy: Against research: Symptom Substitution

POINT

A

P - 1 important criticism of AT is that it eliminates the behaviour rather than treat the root cause

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15
Q

Evaluating the effectiveness of Aversion Therapy: Against research: Symptom Substitution

EVIDENCE

A

E - the negative association may treat how the individual feels towards the focus of their addiction, but does not treat the underlying cause of their addiction

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16
Q

Evaluating the effectiveness of Aversion Therapy: Against research: Symptom Substitution

EXPLAIN

A

E - this means that while the therapy may appear to successfully cure the person of that particular addiction, the underlying problem may re-occur in the form of a different addiction or some other undesirable behaviour (symptom substitution)

17
Q

Evaluating the ETHICAL issues of AT: Long term benefits

point

A

P - Any ethical costs of AT can be justified by the long term benefits

18
Q

Evaluating the ETHICAL issues of AT: Long term benefits

EVIDENCE

A

E - For example, breaking a serious addiction can bring benefits to the individual’s health, finances, and personal relationships

19
Q

Evaluating the ETHICAL issues of AT: Long term benefits

EXPLAIN

A

E - This suggests that the benefits of this therapy outweigh any potential risks so it CAN be considered an ethical approach to therapy. Furthermore, those who are using AT will have given valid consent to take part in the therapeutic methods involved

20
Q

Evaluating the ETHICAL issues of AT: Covert Sensitisation is a recent ethical development

POINT

A

P - more ethical forms of the negative stimuli (compared to Antabuse & rapid smoking) have been developed

21
Q

Evaluating the ETHICAL issues of AT: Covert Sensitisation is a recent ethical development

EVIDENCE

A

E - Covert Sensitisation involved the person imagining dreadful scenarios that could occur when engaging in their addictive behaviour. For example, imagining feeling sick & vomiting when they feel the urge to drink

22
Q

Evaluating the ETHICAL issues of AT: Covert Sensitisation is a recent ethical development

EXPLAIN

A

E - Kraft (‘05) suggests this is not only effective but far more ethical as it avoids the unpleasant reactions to substances such as Antabuse

23
Q

Evaluating the ETHICAL issues of AT: Risk of harm

POINT

A

P - one ethical issue is that some of the methods used to create the negative association may pose a risk of harm

24
Q

Evaluating the ETHICAL issues of AT: Risk of harm

EVIDENCE

A

E - Antabuse can have very negative and serious side effects when mixed with alcohol. These can include convulsions and heart palpitations. Rapid smoking is also unpleasant and can cause risks to health

25
Q

Evaluating the ETHICAL issues of AT: Risk of harm

EXPLAIN

A

E - this suggest that this therapy is unethical compared to alternative treatments for addictions such as CBT

26
Q

Evaluating the ETHICAL issues of AT: Risk of harm

CONTRAST

A

C- However it could be argued that these risks are justified in terms of the risks posed by alcohol or tobacco addiction. Without successful treatment, addicts are highly likely to experience risk of harm to their physical and psychological health.