Behavioral approach of treating phobias Flashcards
Flooding
Define
A form of behavioural therapy that is used to treat phobias abd other anxiety disoreders.
The client is exposed to extreme forms of the threatning situation under relax conditions to try and extingusish the anxiety
Systematic desensetisation
Define
A form of Behavioral therapy where a client is gradually exposed to the threatning situation under relaxed conditions so the anxeity is extinguished.
Systermatic desensitisation
Studys
People avoid the stimuli so are not able to unlearn it.
Conterconditioning (Wople 1958)- replacing fear with relaxation.
Relaxation- learning to relax aroudn the phobia.
Dessensitisation heirachy- Physical steps to work your way through to reduce the anxiety.
Counter conditioning
Wolpe (1958)
They learn new association that runs counter to the original one.
They associate the phobic stimulus with relaxation instead of fear- so it becomes desensitised.
Wolpe says we cant be fearful + relaxed.
Relaxation
Patients learn relaxation techniques, like breathing to attempt to keep calm.
Desensitisation
Gradually reducing the fear by introducing a person to a different feared situation and getting them to relax removing the anxiety.
Evaluation of SD
Strength - reaserch
McGrath (1990)- found that Systematic desensitisation is effective in 75% of their trials.
Choy (2007)-In vivo (real life) these are most effective.
Evaluatuion of SD
Limitation
Ohman (1975)- Might not be as good in treating phobias with an evolutionary survival component (fear of the dark)
Evaluation of SD
Strength- General effectivness
Relativley fast and less effortful.
Useful if patients lack insigth (learning difficulties)
Can be self administerd (ass effective and cheaper)
Flooding
Study
As oppose to SD the patient is taught relaxation techniques and will practise them while being exposed to the phobia in one long session (2-3 hours)
This expsoure can be in vivo or via virtual relaity.
The fear limit will have a time limit and will become exhausted.
Evaluation of Flooding
Limitation- individual differences
It might not be for every patient and even theough they will have been warned before hand they might quit during it reducing its effecitvness.
Evaluation of Flooding
Strenth- Effectivness
Its a quicker treatment compared to SD- Choy (2007)
However it is said that flooding and systematic desensitisation have the same effectivness by Flooding has got more theraputic benefit.-Craske (2008)
Evaluation of Flooding
Limitation- symptom susbstitution
It will remove the symptoms but the underlying cause may still occur, if someone gives up smoking they might comfort eat to distracrt themselves from the craving
