Behavioural approach to treating phobias

Question 1

What is systematic desensitisation?

Answer 1

-a behaviour therapy designed to gradually reduce phobic anxiety through the principle of classical conditioning

-phobic stimulus is paired with relaxation instead of anxiety- counter conditioning

Question 2

Explain the first process of SD

Answer 2

1) anxiety hierarchy- client & therapist put this together in which objects/stressful events are placed from least to most frightening
E.g. photo of dog=least
proximity to dog=most

Question 3

Explain the second process of SD

Answer 3

2) Relaxation - client is taught relaxation techniques e.g. breathing exercises, meditation or drugs etc
-fear and relaxation can’t co-exist, so one emotion prevents the other -this is called reciprocal inhibition

Question 4

Explain the last process of SD

Answer 4

3) Exposure- client is exposed to phobic stimulus in relaxed state over several sessions
-starts at the bottom of hierarchy and gradually makes way up

Question 5

What is flooding?

Answer 5

-A behavioural therapy in which a person with a phobia is exposed to extreme from of phobic stimulus immediately without a gradual build up
-important client gives informed consent >unpleasant

Question 6

How does flooding work?

Answer 6

-no option of avoidance so client quickly learns phobic stimulus is harmless - process known as extinction
-extinction occurs when CS (e.g. dog) is encountered without UCS (e.g. being bitten)
result= CS no longer produces CR

Question 7

What evidence is there for the effectiveness of SD ?

Answer 7

-Gilroy et al followed up 42 people who had SD for spider phobia
- At both 3 & 33 months the SD group were less fearful than control group treated by relaxation.
- Concluded that SD is effective for specific, social & agoraphobias

Question 8

Why is SD an appropriate treatment?

Answer 8

-can be used to treat people with learning disabilities
-people with learning disabilities often struggle with cognitive therapies that require complex rational thought
-flooding also too traumatic for them

Question 9

Why is flooding cost-effective?

Answer 9

-clinically effective & not expensive
-flooding can work in as little as one session opposed to ten sessions for SD for same results
-NHS can treat more people at the same costs

Question 10

What is a limitation of flooding?

Answer 10

-highly unpleasant experience
-confronting ones phobic stimulus in extreme form provokes tremendous anxiety
-raises ethical issues (distress)
-nature of flooding =high drop out rates