behavioural approach to treating phobias

Question 1

what is systematic desensitisation?

Answer 1

• behavioural therapy gradually reduce phobic anxiety through classical conditioning
• new response to stimulus is learned = counterconditioning
• reciprocal inhibition

Question 2

how many steps are there in systematic desensitisation?

Answer 2

• 1. anxiety hierarchy
• 2. relaxation
• 3. exposure

Question 3

explain the 1st step of systematic desensitisation

Answer 3

ANXIETY HIERARCHY

• an anxiety hierarchy is made by both patient and therapist
• list of situations related to phobia that cause anxiety, in order of least to most scary

Question 4

explain the 2nd step of systematic desensitisation

Answer 4

RELAXATION

• therapist teaches patient some relaxation techniques
• eg. guided imagery
• they are taught to put themselves in a relaxed mind frame

Question 5

explain the 3rd step of systematic desensitisation

Answer 5

EXPOSURE

• patient is exposed to phobic stimulus when relaxed
• starting from bottom of hierarchy
• when patient can stay relaxed at each stage the therapist goes up a level

Question 6

what happens when exposure is successful + specific name

Answer 6

• extinction

- when treatment is successful patient can stay relaxed in situations high on anxiety hierarchy

Question 7

what are the two names of approaches to treat phobias?

Answer 7

• flooding

- systematic desensitisation

Question 8

explain flooding

Answer 8

• behavioural therapy to reduce an unwanted response to a phobic stimulus without gradual anxiety build up.
• immediate exposure for extended period of time very scary
• no option of avoidance behaviour
• patient quickly learns phobia is harmless
• conditioned stimulus no longer produces conditioned response

Question 9

can you explain reciprocal inhibition within treating phobias?

Answer 9

• cannot be afraid and relaxed at same time aims to change feeling of anxiety with relaxation = reciprocal inhibition
• evident in systematic desensitisation

Question 10

give an example of a phobia being treated by flooding and systematic desensitisation

Answer 10

• systematic desensitisation= patient may see a photo and after more sessions have a real spider close to her
• flooding=allowing a spider to crawl all over someone until they are no longer scared

Question 11

evaluate what study shows systematic desensitisation is effective

Answer 11

STRENGTH

• research followed up on 42 patients who had been treated by SD for arachnophobia
• spider questionnaire assessed response to spider
• control group treated with relaxation w/out exposure
• 3/33 months later SD group were less scared than control group
• SD works

Question 12

evaluate how systematic desensitisation is suitable for a diverse range of patients

Answer 12

STRENGTH

• people with learning difficulties may find it hard to understand the process of flooding
• also find it hard to engage in cognitive therapies
• SD is most effective for these patients

Question 13

evaluate why flooding is cost effective

Answer 13

STRENGTH

• quicker and cheaper
• patients are free of phobias a lot quicker= cheaper
• also don’t need to pay staff for long sessions

Question 14

evaluate why flooding is less effective for some phobias

Answer 14

WEAKNESS

• not effective for treating complex phobias (social phobias)
• as patient doesn’t doesn’t experience anxiety but thinks bad thoughts
• this will benefit from cognitive therapies not flooding

Question 15

evaluate why flooding is traumatic for patients

Answer 15

WEAKNESS

• patients often unwilling to see it to the end
• money wasted due to the traumatic nature of flooding
• ethical= patients must give fully informed consent
• not unethical but very unpleasant experience + traumatic