Fear and Anxiety Reduction Procedures

Question 1

Define fear

Answer 1

Caused by stimulus or situation that produces unpleasant physiological response (anxiety) and cognitive appraisal

Question 2

Fear comprises both…

Answer 2

Respondent conditioning: conditioned emotional response (CER)

Operant conditioning: escape or avoidance (neg reinf)

Question 3

What is respondent extinction

Answer 3

Presenting a CS repeatedly without the US
Extinguish CRs association

Question 4

Kinds of CSs (respondent extinction)

Answer 4

• in vivo: real-life events, objects or ppl
• imaginal: mental representations of events, objects or ppl
• symbolic: overt representation of events, objects or ppl

Question 5

What is counterconditioning

Answer 5

Trains person to substitute a competing or incompatible behaviour for the CR when the CS is present
Includes extinction

Question 6

What is relaxation

Answer 6

State of calmness, with low psychological and physiological arousal and tension

Question 7

After a person has mastered a relaxation technique…

Answer 7

They can develop a rapid relaxation induction method (calm selves quickly)

Question 8

Relaxation techniques

Answer 8

1. Progressive muscle relaxation
2. Diaphragmatic breathing
3. Attention-focusing exercises
4. Behavioural relaxation training

Question 9

What is progressive muscle relaxation (PMR)

Answer 9

Alternately tensing and relaxing different muscle groups while resting
Positive psychological and physiological results continue after treatment

Question 10

Controversial aspects of progressive muscle relaxation

Answer 10

1. Tensing muscles may not be required
2. Audio recorded not as effective as in person w therapist

Question 11

What is diaphragmatic breathing

Answer 11

AKA deep breathing
Using muscles of diaphragm to breathe deeply and slowly in a rhythmic pattern, expansion of abdomen instead of just chest

Question 12

Deep breathing is incompatible with..

Answer 12

Rapid, shallow breathing associated with high arousal or anxiety

Question 13

What are the three attention-focusing exercises

Answer 13

1. Guided imagery
2. Autogenic training
3. Meditation

Question 14

What is guided imagery

Answer 14

Person imagines pleasant and peaceful scenes and images, guided by therapist using script
Focus attention on scene instead of anxiety-provoking thoughts

Question 15

What is autogenic training

Answer 15

Person imagines being in pleasant or peaceful scene and experiencing specific bodily sensations
Good for chronic pain, difficulty moving

Question 16

What is meditation

Answer 16

Process of contemplating or focusing one’s attention on an object, event or idea to help the person become detached or dissociated from their physical states, thoughts and feelings

Question 17

Essential components of meditation

Answer 17

1. Quiet, distraction free location
2. Specific, comfortable posture
3. Open attitude
4. Focus of attention

Question 18

Meditation alleviates…

Answer 18

anxiety and depression to a similar degree as antidepressant drug therapy

Question 19

Meditation has been successfully applied to…

Answer 19

Chronic pain by focusing on and separating physical sensations from the cognitive and emotional reactions to pain

Question 20

What is behavioural relaxation training

Answer 20

Relaxing different muscle groups, adopting certain relaxed body postures
Does not include muscle tensing component of PMR
Breathing exercises, focused attention

Question 21

What is systematic desensitization applied for

Answer 21

Applied to reverse a person’s learned fear response

Question 22

Steps of systematic desensitization

Answer 22

1. Person learns relaxation techniques/exercises
2. Person develops stimulus hierarchy for CSs based on subjective units of discomfort scale (SUDS: 0-100)
3. Therapist describes a CS while person maintains state of relaxation (start with least fear-inducing CS)

Question 23

What is reciprocal inhibition

Answer 23

Relaxation response decreases the fear response

Question 24

Effectiveness of systematic desensitization

Answer 24

• Effective in overcoming fears
• Maintained
• Generalized

Question 25

What is in vivo desensitization

Answer 25

Person gradually exposed to actual stimulus producing fear/anxiety
Includes relaxation, cognitive procedures (self statements to cope)

Question 26

In vivo desensitization is effective for

Answer 26

• anxiety disorders
• obsessions and compulsions

Question 27

List the exposure-based therapies

Answer 27

1. Systematic desensitization
2. In vivo desensitization
3. Flooding
4. Modelling
5. Virtual reality exposure

Question 28

What is flooding? aka

Answer 28

AKA response prevention
Person exposed to highly feared object or situation for prolonged period of time
Therapist prevents escape/avoidance
No relaxation

Question 29

What is modelling

Answer 29

Phobic person watches someone else performing feared behaviour, desensitizes fear vicariously

Question 30

Types of modelling

Answer 30

• Participant modeling: person watches, then guided to join in
• Videotaped modelling: watch videos of someone else in feared situation (surgery/dental work)
• Computer-aided vicarious exposure: person uses computer to guide scenarios/CSs that are on-screen experiences

Question 31

What is virtual reality exposure

Answer 31

Participant wears VR display that presents 3D, immersive experience (may include audio, haptic feedback/vibrations, scents)
Presents controlled, stimulated experience

Question 32

VR exposure highly effective in treating fear of…

Answer 32

heights, flying, storms, bridges,