behavioural treatments of phobias Flashcards
What are two treatments for phobias?
Systematic desensitisation
Flooding
What is the basis of SD?
Reduce anxiety through classical conditioning
Counterconditioning - new response to stimulus
Reciprocal inhibition - impossible to be relaxed and afraid at same time
What is the first stage of SD?
Anxiety hierarchy
Arranged from least to most frightening
What is the second stage of SD?
Relaxation
Patient taught to relax
Breathing exercises
Valium
What is the final stage of SD?
Exposure
Exposed to stimulus in a relaxed state
Several sessions starting with the bottom of the hierarchy
Treatment successful when patient is relaxed at top of hierarchy
SD Evaluation - it is effective
Gilroy - followed up patients
Arachnophobia assessed
Control group treated by relaxation
SD group less fearful than control
SD Evaluation - suitable for range of patients
Flooding is difficult for those with learning difficulties
Hard to understand what’s happening
SD more appropriate
SD Evaluation - acceptable to patients
Patients prefer it
Less traumatic
More relaxing
Low refusal and attrition rates
What is flooding?
Immediate exposure to a very frightening situation
How does flooding work?
Patient learns stimulus is harmless
Extinction - learned response is extinguished as conditioned stimulus is encountered without unconditioned stimulus
May become exhausted by fear
What are the ethical safeguards regarding flooding?
Patients must give informed consent
Given choice of flooding or SD
Flooding Evaluation - cost effective
Flooding effective and quicker
Free of symptoms asap
Cheaper
Flooding Evaluation - less effective for some phobias
Less effective for complex phobias like social phobias
Social phobias have cognitive aspects
Might benefit more from cognitive treatments
Flooding Evaluation - traumatic
Patients unwilling to see it to the end
Time and money wasted
Evaluation - symptom substitution
Both treatments
One phobia disappears, another replaces it
Displace fear onto something easier to deal with e.g. bereavement to zombies
Source of anxiety needs to be treated
