behaviourist approach of treating phobias Flashcards
What is systematic desensitisation(SD)
A behavioural therapy designed to reduce an unwanted response. SD involves drawing up a hierarchy of anxiety – provoking situations related to the phobic stimulus, teaching the patient to relax, and then exposing them to phobic situations.
The patients make their way through hierarchy whilst maintaining relaxation
Learning new response= Counterconditioning (fear replaced by relaxation which is new response to the stimulus
During SD, reciprocal inhibition is crucial. What is reciprocal inhibition
It replaces fear with relaxation as you cannot feel fear and be relaxed at the same time. one has to take over.
How does SD work
It is a step by step approach.The client learns relaxations techniques.The client works out a hierarchy of fear from the least frightening to the most frightening.
The client works through the hierarchy learning to use relaxation techniques in the presence of the feared object.
What is flooding?
Flooding is a technique whereby the person, instead of taking steps towards the object of fear, goes straight to their most feared situation, usually contact with the object
WHat doeS flooding lead to
• exhaustion of phobic response- cannot feel fearful (anxious)over long periods of time so eventually fear subsides as the person is no longer in danger (extinction of phobia)
• prevention of avoidance- prevents maintenance of phobias as phobias are not avoided.
For ethical reasons, this technique is conducted mainly in vitro (in a controlled setting) and the therapist should first ensure that the person is in good physical health.
Evaluation for SD- It is effective
Gilroy et al(2003) showed that SD is helpful in reducing the anxiety in the spider phobia and that the effects are long lasting. He did this by measuring one group who had 3 sessions of SD and a control group who was treated by relaxation without exposure. Results showed that the SD group were less fearful than the relaxation group.
Evaluation for SD-Suitable for a diverse range of patients
Learning difficulties can make it harder for some patients to understand what is happening during flooding or to engage with cognitive therapies that require the ability to reflect on what you are thinking. For these patients SD is probably the most appropriate treatment
Evaluation for SD-Acceptable to patients
Patients prefer SD. Largely because it does not cause the same degree of trauma as flooding. SD has low refusal rates and low attrition rates (no. of patients dropping out)
Evaluation for Flooding-Cost effective
Ougrin(2011) have found that flooding is highly effective and quicker than alternatives. This quick effect is a strength because it means patients are free of their symptoms ASAP making the treatment cheaper.
Evaluation for Flooding-less effective for some types of phobia
Less effective in treating complex phobias like social phobia.Social phobias don’t trigger anxious responses but it triggers unpleasant thoughts about the social situation.it may benefit trying out cognitive therapy because it tackles irrational thinking.
Evaluation for Flooding-treatment is traumatic
Problem is patients are unwilling to see through to the end. Time and money are sometimes wasted preparing patients only to have them refuse to start or complete treatment
Evaluation for both SD and flooding- Symptom substitution
When one phobia disappears another may appear in its place. Evidence of symptom substitution is mixed, so behavioural therapists tend not to believe it happens at all
