Phobias - Treatment

Question 1

Treatments are based upon explanations, what is the explanation used for the behavioural treatment?

Answer 1

The two-process model.

Question 2

What are the two behavioural methods for treating phobias?

Answer 2

• Systematic desensitisation,

- Flooding.

Question 3

Systematic desensitisation used which behaviourist principle to reduce phobic anxiety?

Answer 3

Classical conditioning.

Question 4

Which treatment is designed to gradually reduce phobic anxiety?

Answer 4

Systematic desensitisation.

Question 5

What are the three processes involved in systematic desensitisation?

Answer 5

1. The anxiety hierarchy,
2. Relaxation,
3. Exposure.

Question 6

What is reciprocal inhibition?

Answer 6

Learning to be afraid and relaxed at the same time, so one emotion prevents the other. (relaxation blocks anxiety).

Question 7

What is it called when relaxation prevents the emotion of anxiety.

Answer 7

Reciprocol inhibition.

Question 8

Which process requires reciprocal inhibition?

Answer 8

Systematic desensitisation.

Question 9

For someone who had arachnophobia, what might they identify as low and high on their anxiety heirarchy?

Answer 9

Low = seeing a picture of a small spider.
High = Holding a tarantula.

Question 10

Which process requires the process of counter-conditioning?

Answer 10

The sufferer learning to relax in the presence of the phobic stimulus.

Question 11

Who puts together the anxiety heirarchy?

Answer 11

The patient and the therapist work on it together.

Question 12

What is the anxiety hierarchy?

Answer 12

It is a list of situations related to the phobic stimulus that provokes anxiety arranged in order from least to most frightening.

Question 13

What part of treatment has been likened to a ‘ladder of fear’?

Answer 13

The anxiety hierarchy used in systematic desensitisation.

Question 14

What is the relaxation part of systematic desensitisation?

Answer 14

The therapist teaches the patient how to relax deeply, using a number of techniques such as breathing exercises and mental imagery techniques. Alternatively they can use techniques such as drugs like Valium.

Question 15

What drugs can be used to cause relaxation is systematic desensitisation?

Answer 15

Drugs such as Valium.

Question 16

What techniques can be used to achieve relaxation during systematic desensitisation?

Answer 16

• Breathing exercises,
• Mental imagery techniques,
• Drugs such as Valium.

Question 17

What are mental imagery techniques?

Answer 17

The patient learning to imagine themselves in relaxing situations or learning meditation.

Question 18

What is the exposure part of systematic desensitisation?

Answer 18

The patient is finally exposed to the phobic stimulus wile in a relaxed state, starting at the bottom of the hierarchy and then moving up the ‘ladder’.

Question 19

When is systematic desensitisation complete?

Answer 19

When the patient can stay relaxed in situations high up on the anxiety hierarchy.

Question 20

How does flooding work?

Answer 20

Exposing the phobic patients to their stimulus but without a gradual build-up, (no hierarchy).

Question 21

Which type of treatment involves immediate exposure to a very frightening situation?

Answer 21

Flooding.

Question 22

How would someone with arachnophobia receive treatment through flooding?

Answer 22

Having a large spider (such as a tarantula) crawl over them for a prolonged period of time.

Question 23

What is the fastest type of treatment for phobias?

Answer 23

Flooding - some patients only require 1 or 2 sessions, which last normally 2 or 3 hours.

Question 24

How would a severe phobia of cats be treated?

Answer 24

Through either systematic desensitisation or flooding.

Question 25

What is the difference between systematic desensitisation and flooding?

Answer 25

Flooding doesn’t involve a gradual build up of anxiety whilst systematic desensitisation does (the anxiety hierarchy).

Question 26

How does flooding work?

Answer 26

Without the option to avoid the phobia, the patient quickly learns that the stimulus is harmless (this is extinction).

Question 27

What is extinction?

Answer 27

When the phobic response is stopped because without the option of avoidance behaviour, they quickly learn the stimulus is harmless.

Question 28

Is flooding an ethical treatment?

Answer 28

No, it is very unpleasant for the sufferer, therefore, it is vital for informed consent.

Question 29

Explain the process of flooding using classical conditioning?

Answer 29

A learned response is extinguished when the conditioned stimulus is encountered without the unconditioned stimulus. The conditioned stimulus no longer produces the conditioned response (fear).

Question 30

AO3 - Effectivity.

Answer 30

Research has shown that systematic desensitisation is effective in treatment, Gilroy (2003) followed up 42 patients who were treated for arachnophobia through SD, a control group was treated by relaxation without exposure. Treatment with SD was helpful and the effects were long-lasting.

Question 31

AO3 - Suitability.

Answer 31

The alternatives to SD (flooding and cognitive therapies) are not well suited towards some patients. Sufferers of some anxiety disorders also have learning disabilities, these make it very hard for them to comprehend what is happening during flooding or reflecting during cognitive therapies.

Question 32

AO3 - Acceptable to patients.

Answer 32

Patients who are given the choice of SD or flooding typically choose SD. Largely due to the possibility that flooding can cause trauma. This is reflected by the low refusal and low attrition rates of SD.

Question 33

AO3 - Cost-effective.

Answer 33

Flooding is at least as effective as other therapies for specific phobias, it is also faster than other therapies and much cheaper.

Question 34

AO3 - Less effective for some types of phobias.

Answer 34

Flooding is highly effective at treating simple phobias but less effective for more complex phobias, due to the cognitive aspects. These types of phobias may benefit more from cognitive therapies due to the irrational thinking element.

Question 35

AO3 - Traumatic treatment.

Answer 35

Perhaps the most serious issue with flooding is that it is highly traumatic, this is unethical but can be overcome through informed consent. This is a limitation as many patients refuse to start or don’t finish treatment.

Question 36

AO3 - Symptom substitution.

Answer 36

A common criticism of both SD and flooding is that when one phobia disappears another may appear in its place. Evidence for substitution is very mixed, however, there is evidence to show some existence.

Question 37

Give an example of a phobia that is unsuitable for flooding:

Answer 37

Social phobias such as agoraphobia.