Phobias : Behavioural Approach To Treating Phobias Flashcards
What is basis behind systematic desensitisation?
SD is a type of behavioural therapy to reduce phobias by classical conditioning to replace irrational fears and anxieties associated with phobic objects with calm and relaxed responses.
The idea behind this is that it is impossible to experience two opposite emotions at the same time ( reciprocal inhibition ).
Therefore if the patient can learn to remain relaxed in the presence of their phobia, they can be cured ( counter conditioning ).
What are the processes involved in systematic desensitisation?
1) The Hierarchy of Fear - situations involving the phobic object are ranked from least fearful to more fearful. These are constructed by the therapist and patient.
2) Relaxation Techniques - patients are taught deep muscle relaxation techniques such as deep breathing, progressive muscular relaxation ( PMR ) and the relaxation response. The ides behind PMR is to tense up as much as possible for a few seconds and then start relaxing from the feet upwards. Then try to further relax.
3) Exposure - the patient works their way up the fear hierarchy. They must use their relaxation technique whilst they are exposed to the phobia object. Once they are comfortable with one stage, they move on. Eventually through repeated exposure to phobic objects with relaxation and no fear, the phobia is eliminated. This process will take many therapy sessions.
What are the advantages of systemic desensitisation?
Jones supports the use of SD to eradicate ‘Little Albert’s’ phobia. A white rabbit was presented to him at gradually closer distances and each time his anxiety levels lessened. Eventually he developed affection for the white rabbit, which extended to all white fluffy objects.
A group of psychologists assessed various therapies for the treatment of panic disorders and found that 87% of patients were panic free after receiving SD, compared to 50% receiving medication, 36% receiving a placebo and 33% receiving no treatment at all. Therefore SD is an effective therapy compared to others.
It is less traumatic than other behavioural therapies like flooding where the patients has to confront their phobias directly. Therefore it has less ethical implications than other types of therapy and is les upsetting for the patient to endure.
What are the disadvantages of systematic desensitisation?
It is not always practical for individuals to be desensitised by confronting real life phobic situations. Real life step - by - step situations are difficult to arrange and control. Therefore it may be difficult to apply real life situations / phobias and this can question the effectiveness of the therapy.
Some critics believe that symptoms are only the tip of iceberg and claim that underlying causes of the phobia will remain, and in the future the symptoms will return or symptom substitution will occur, when other abnormal behaviours replaced the ones that have been removed.
Describe how flooding works
It involves directly exposing the patient to their feared object. Beforehand, the patient would be taught relaxation techniques.
There is no gradual build up, just immediate exposure to a frightening and extreme situation. This can be done in vivo ( for real ) or by imagining the situation.
This stops phobic responses very quickly. This is because there in no option to avoid it and so they learn very quickly that the phobic object is harmless and therefore extinction occurs. It usually lasts 2-3 hours, which is much shorter than SD sessions.
What are the advantages of flooding?
Cost effective. Quick therapy for phobias which means patients are free of their symptoms as soon as possible, and this makes the treatment cost effective and cheaper.
Wolpe supports it as a girl was forced into a car and driven around for four hours until her hysteria was eradicated. This demonstrates how effective flooding is as a treatment for phobias.
Ost stated that it is effective and rapid that delivers immediate improvements for phobic patients. This is especially the case when a patient is encouraged to continue self directed exposure to feared objects and situations outside of the therapy situation.
What are they are disadvantages of flooding?
It is less effective for curing some types of phobias such as social phobia. This might be because social phobias have mor cognitive aspects that flooding cannot address very well e.g. addressing negative thoughts on speaking in public.
It is a highly traumatic experience and many patients might be unwilling to continue with the therapy until the end. Time and money might be wasted preparing treatment for the flooding experience and then the patient might decide that they do not want to take part or complete the treatment and their phobia remains uncured.
