Evaluating Aversion Therapy

Question 1

A03 - Supporting evidence

Answer 1

P - Howard (2001)

E - Assesed the effectivness Aversion therapy on treating alcoholism in 82 US acoholics pt’s across 5 sessions in a 10 drug treatment trial. in each session, pt’s were given an emetic drug (antabase) and then given their preferred alcoholic drinks to smell and taste. Vomitting occured 5-8 minutes after taking the drug and pt’s were instructed to drink the alcohol (which was immedintly regurgitatted).

E - Following treatments, pt’s reports of alcohol cravings were substantailly decreased and their belief that they could quit drinking had increased.

L - This study provides support for the effectivness of aversion therapy as a treatment for alcohol addiction.

• Howard (2001)
• alcohlism
• 82 US alcoholics
• 5 sessions
• 10 drug treatment trials
• emetic drug
• Antabase
• vommiting
• 5-8 minutes
• decrease

Question 2

A03 - Ethics with Howard (2001)

Answer 2

• Forcing patients to be sick
• Tackles the behaviour but at the sake of the patients wellbeing
• Fails to tackle cognitive thoughts processes, which could contribute to the rest of the behavouir
• Doesn’t treat the cause only the behaviour

Question 3

A03 - Economic benefits?

Answer 3

P - Additionally, aversion therapy has massive economic benefits as well.

E - For example, research in the US found that alcohol addiction alone was responsiable for 232 million lost working days in a year

E - To elaborate, this successful treatment can be used to ensure those with an alcohol addiction are threated and can support themselves financially by keeping their jobs economically, this ensures that taxes collected from those more secure jobs can be put back into other areas of healthcare.

L - Therefore, aversion therapy plays it’s role in boosting the economy by ensuring sufferers of addiction can still contribute to society.

• Economic benefits
• US
• Alcohol addiction
• 232 million
• jobs
• healthcare