behavioural approach - treatment

Question 1

what is systematic desensitisation?

Answer 1

• aims to extinguish an undesirable behaviour by replacing it with a more desirable one
• based on reciprocal inhibition : the idea that we can’t feel 2 opposite emotions at the same time, so we can’t feel relaxed and scared at the same time

Question 2

how do the behaviourist assumptions apply to SD?

Answer 2

all behaviour is learned through conditioning :
- phobias are learnt through classical conditioning and maintained by operant conditioning
- phobias can be unlearned or counter-conditioned
- as the client learns to feel relaxed in the presence of the fear object they will feel rewarded (positive reinforcement)

Question 3

what is the first step/ component of SD?

Answer 3

the client learns relaxation techniques :
- important that this is mastered before moving on to the next step
- e.g. deep breathing or progressive muscle relaxation

Question 4

what is the second step/ component of SD?

Answer 4

desensitisation hierarchy :
- describe situations that would induce mild to extreme anxiety
- they then order them in a hierarchy of worst to best

Question 5

what is the third step/ component of SD?

Answer 5

working up the desensitisation hierarchy :
- they start at the least feared situation and use what they learned in step one
- when they’re fully relaxed again they go to the next step etcetera

Question 6

what are the 2 types of SD?

Answer 6

• in-vivo SD is where the patient faces the fear object in real life
• in-vitro is where the patient imagines the fear object/scenario rather than actually facing it

Question 7

why is research evidence a strength for SD?

Answer 7

• research evidence to show SD works if phobia has been learned
• Capafons et al (1998) - those with a fear of flying had reduced physiological signs of fear whilst in a flight simulator after a 12-25 week course of SD
• Paul (1966) - SD clients showed greater signs of improvement in their phobia compared to other treatments

Question 8

why is ‘may not be appropriate for all phobias’ a weakness for SD?

Answer 8

• not appropriate if the phobia isn’t learned
• for example, fear of public speaking

Question 9

why is ‘does not treat underlying issues’ a weakness for SD?

Answer 9

• psychodynamic approach suggests phobias are learned through unconscious thoughts an memories and that SD only treats the symptom
• for example, Freud and Little Hans who had a phobia of horses but it was suggested that his phobia came from hatred, envy and fear of his father

Question 10

why is support for the biological approach a weakness for SD?

Answer 10

• Seligman suggests we are born prepared to fear some stimuli very quickly as it would have been adaptive for our ancestors
• this would explain why most phobias are not of modern things such as cars and toasters and are instead things that would have needed to be feared by our ancestors like snakes and heights

Question 11

what is the ethical issue of anxiety control in SD?

Answer 11

• SD is considered to be more ethical than other behavioural therapies, such as flooding techniques
• anxiety should not be an issue in this therapy

Question 12

what is the ethical issue of valid consent in SD?

Answer 12

• SD is used mainly for phobias and not mental issues which means clients are ‘in touch’ with reality and ‘healthy’ enough to give valid consent
• clients attend SD sessions at their own free will so can withdraw whenever
• there is still a small issue of stress that is inevitable
• client has full control