Behavioural approach to treating phobias

Question 1

Outline systematic desensitisation and it’s stages.

Answer 1

Train the patient to associate relaxation with the phobic stimulus instead of fear.

Step one: The anxiety hierarchy: client and therapist put together a list of situations linked to the phobic stimulus that lead to anxiety (from least -> to most)

Step two: Relaxation: A person cannot feel two emotions at the same time. The client is taught to relax as deeply as possible
e.g. through deep breathing, guided imagery or use of drugs such as Valium. The relaxation prevents the anxiety emotion – Reciprocal inhibition.

Step 3: Exposure: when relaxed the patient gradually works their way through the anxiety hierarchy, starting with the least fearful stimuli and then gradually moving upwards.

Question 2

Outline flooding.

Answer 2

Exposes client to phobic stimulus – this leads to extinction of conditioned fear response
Give an example:
The client is introduced to a dog and has to stroke it. The fear response is extinguished as the client learns that the fear response is no longer evoked.

Question 3

Evaluate systematic desensitisation

Answer 3

Strengths:
+Research support – evidence of effectiveness for arachnophobia (42 people 3 x 45 min sessions) at 3 and 33 months less fearful than a control group
+Suitable for people with learning disabilities and children.
+Virtual reality e.g. fear of heights
Weaknesses:
-Counterpoint: Works better for some phobias than others
-Counterpoint: Does not tackle underlying cause.
-Counterpoint: This form of therapy has been found to be less effective due to lack of realism.

Question 4

Evaluate flooding.

Answer 4

Strengths:
+Cost effective
+Can cure a phobia in as little as one session.
+Counterpoint: Ethical issues outweighed by outcome. It could be argued that when dealing with phobias, therapists will inevitably have to deal with the upset caused by the phobic stimulus with their client.
Weaknesses:
-Counterpoint: Does not tackle underlying cause
- Counterpoint: More stressful that systematic desensitisation. Higher attrition (drop out) rates
-Ethical issues need to be addressed e.g. informed consent. Not suitable for some clients or children.