behavioural approach to treating phobias

Question 1

systematic desensitisation

Answer 1

designed to reduce unwanted response to stimulus.

involves drawing up desensitisation hierarchy - provoking situations related to phobic stimulus, teaching patient to relax, and then exposing them to phobic situations. patients make their way through hierarchy whilst maintaining relaxation.

aims to extinguish undesirable behaviour by replacing it with a more desirable one - reciprocal inhibition

Question 2

flooding

Answer 2

quicker and often thought to be more effective than SD.

technique whereby the person goes straight to most feared situation, usually contact with the object.

physiologically not possible to maintain state of high anxiety for very long period, so eventually it should decrease.

person realises they’re still safe and nothing dreadful has happened to them - fear should be extinguished

for ethical reasons it’s conducted mainly in vitro and therapist should first ensure that person is in good physical health.

Question 3

SD evaluation - research support for effectiveness

Answer 3

mcgrath - 75% patients respond to SD techniques.

methods where patient came into contact with phobia more effective than when just presented with pictures of fear.

SD uses number of exposure techniques - in vivo, in vitro and modelling - allowing to to treat broad range of phobias.

research has found that SD is successful for the treatment of a variety of phobias.

Question 4

SD evaluation - not suitable for all phobias

Answer 4

ohman et al - may not be as effective when tackling phobias that have underlying evolutionary survival component compared to treating phobias that develop due to personal experiences of patient

Question 5

flooding evaluation - limited effectiveness

Answer 5

effectiveness is selective as it depends on patient’s willingness to stick to treatment.

choy et al - flooding more effective at treating certain phobias than SD though another review stated they’re both equally as effective - flooding is effective treatment, but isnt the only effective one available

Question 6

flooding evaluation - individual differences

Answer 6

may not be suitable for all patients - can be very traumatic causing patients to leave during the procedure, limiting effectiveness - not suitable for all patients and may be considered unethical