Aversive Counterconditioning

Question 1

Aversive Counterconditioning

overt vs. covert sensitization

Answer 1

Aversive Counterconditioning:

• the maladaptive behavior or a stimulus associated with it (CS) is paired with a stimulus (US) that naturally evokes pain or other unpleasant response.
• Maladaptive behavior and the stimuli related to it are avoided because they elicit an undesirable response (CR).

1. In Vivo Aversion Therapy (Overt Sensitization):

1. drug/alcohol addiction treatment, paraphilias, self-injurious behavior.
2. target behavior is paired with an Aversive stimulus such as shock, ordor, emetic.
3. Fetish object (CS) paired with shock (UR) so that eventually the fetish object is avoided because it is associated with an unpleaseant sensation (CR) rather than sexual arousal.

_Evaluation: _

• moderately effective initially for some patients and some problems (smoking!), but has high relapse rates and limited generalization.
  
  • more effective if the aversive stimulus or its consequence is similiar to target beheavior. nausea for alcohol use and smoking old cigarettes and/or oversmoking.
  • better if its supplemented by booster sessions or is administered in conjuction with other treatments. paraphillias: combining aversion therapy with orgasmic reconditioning, relapse prevention and replacement behavior reinforcement.

2, Covert Sensitization

1. to eliminate a maladaptive: client imagines engaging in the maladaptive behavior and then imagines (not for real) an aversive stimulus.
2. imaging smoking and throwing up on the floor at work, embarrassed…etc.
   
   1. non-smoking imagined now with pleasant result (i went for water and was able to talk to girl w/o bad breathe).