Contemporary Study Capafóns et al 1998

Question 1

Contemporary study: Capafóns et al 1998

Aim

Answer 1

To see whether systematic desensitization is effective as a therapeutic technique for treating the irrational fear of flying (aerophobia)

Question 2

Contemporary study: Capafóns et al 1998

• ecological validity simulation

Answer 2

The study has low ecological validity due to the participants watching a simulation of a flying experience and therefore it would not represent A real flying experience in real life

Therefore the results that’s the systematic decentisation was 90% successful would not be generalisable to real life

Question 3

Contemporary study: Capafóns et al 1998

+ test retest reliability

Answer 3

This study is high test retest reliability due to having a standardized procedure:

Which consisted of an independent design with 20 participants in the treatment group and 21 in the control group

Both groups took an IDG-FV test before and after the treatment which included questions such as “how afraid of flying are you?”

The participants then watched a video of a plane trip from packing the bags to the plane touching down

The experiment group was then treated (Systematic desensitisation) and the control group weighted for the next assessment session

there were 2x 1 hour sessions per week with a min of 12 max if 15 sessions all together

This highly detailed standardised procedure means that the study is easily replicatable and therefore has high test retest reliability

Question 4

Contemporary study: Capafóns et al 1998

• generalisability ethnocentric

Answer 4

The study has low generalizability due to the the mixed sex sample of 41 people with aerophobia all being Spanish therefore the study was ethnocentric and the results that systematic desensitization was 90% effective on the treatment group cannot be applied to other cultures and therefore has low generalisability

Question 5

Contemporary study: Capafóns et al 1998

+ ethics volenteers and not real flight

Answer 5

The study was highly ethical due to the participants giving informed consent due to them volunteering from advertisements for treatment for the fear of flying
e.g radio and tv

That was protection from psychological harm as the simulation video was not a real flight therefore reducing the participants psychological stress

This therefore meant that this study was highly ethical and didn’t breach any BPS ethical guidelines

Question 6

Contemporary study: Capafóns et al 1998

conclusion + application

Answer 6

In conclusion they study found that 90% of the treatment group effectively reduced their fear of flying
Meaning that systematic desensitisation was an effective therapeutic technique for treating aerophobia

Application: due to the study only being on aerophobia its results heavily benefits those with aerophobia but has limited application to treat other phobias
It may however it may be Likely that the procedure may have a similar effect on similar phobias such as Naviphobia the fear of sailing

Question 7

Contemporary study: Capafóns et al 1998

order evaluate

Answer 7

Aim SD aerophobia
Generalisability - ethnocentric
Test retest reliability + 2 groups IDG-FV pre/post simulation video treatment sessions/ wait for next session 2x 1hour sessions / week 12-15 sessions

ecological validity - simulation of flying not likly to occur irl not reflect real flying experience results not apply to real life

Ethics + volenteer concent and protect psycho halm (video not real)

Conclusion (90% treatment sucessfull)
aplication limited to aerophobia but may be applicable to sim fears such as Naviphobia