Psychopathology - behavioural approach to treating behaviours Flashcards
what are teh 2 behavioural approaches to treating phobias
systematic desensitisation
flooding
what is systemic desensitisation
behavioural therapy designed to gradually reduce phobic anxiety through the principle of classical conditioning
SD - if person can learn to relax in presence of phobic stimulus they will be
cured
SD - explain the classical conditioning version of SD
New response to phobic stimulus is learnt
as its paired with relaxation instead of anxiety
SD - in terms of CC the learning of a differnet response is called
counter conditioing
What are the 3 processes involved in SD
THE ANXIETY HIERACHY
RELAXATION
EXPOSURE
ANXIETY HIERACHY - who puts it togther
client with phobia and therapist
ANXIETY HIERACHY - what is it
list of situations
related to phobic stimulus
that provoke anxiety arranged in order from least to most frightening
ANXIETY HIERACHY - give example of anxiety hierachy for n arachnaphobuc
lowon anxiety hierachy - pic of a spider
high on axiety hierachy - holding tarantula
RELAXATION - what does herapist teach client
relax as deeply as possible
RELAXATION - what is reciprocal inhibition
impossible to be afraid and relaxed at the same time , one emotion prevents anotehr
this is why therapist teachs client to relax as deeply as possibel
RELAXATION - what does involve
breathing techniques
client may learn mental imagery techniques
RELAXATION - what can client be taught mentally
imagine tehmseves relaxing in situatins (e.g lying on beach)
may learn meditation
RELAXATION - alternativley can be achieved by using drugs such as
valium
EXPOSURE - What is this WH
client is exposed to phobic stimuuls while in a relaxed state
EXPOSURE - takes place across..
several sessins
starting at the bottom of anxiety hierachy
EXPOSURE - when client can stay relaxed in rpescence of phobic stimulus whwat happens
they move up hierachy
EXPOSURE - when is treatment succesfuk
client can stay relaxed in situations high on the anxiety hierachy
FLOODING - what is it
exposing people with a phobia to their phobic stimulus through immediate exposure to a very frighttening situation
FLOODING - give example for someon with arachnophobia
large spider crawl over them for extended POT
FLOODING - These session ar etyically what that SD
LONGER
FLOODING - How long can session last for
2-3 hours
FLOODING - t/f sometimes only one long session is needed to cure phobia
t
FLOODING - stops phobic responses very
quickly
FLOODING - why does it stop phobic responese very quickly
without option of avoidance behaviour , client quickly learns phobic stimulus is harmless
FLOODING - in CC terms the phobic repsones being stoped very quickly is know as
extinction
FLOODING - what is extincion
learned repsonse extinguished when
conditioned stimulus (e.g dog) encountered without the unconditioned stimulus (e.g being bitten)
result =Conditioned stimulus no longer produces conditioned response (fear
FLOODING - in some cases client ahcieves relaxagion in presecne of phobic stimulus because
they become exhausted of their own fear repsonse
ETHICAL SAFEGUARDS - suprisingly flooding isnt
unethical
ETHICAL SAFEGUARDS - flooding isnt unethical but it is an un
unpleasent experience
ETHICAL SAFEGUARDS - since flooding is an unpleasnat experienc eits important clinets give
fully informed conssent to this traumatic procedure and theyre fully prepared before flooding session
ETHICAL SAFEGUARDS - cient normally given choice between
systematic desensitisation
flooding
EVAL - general strenght
BT for dealing with phobias generally x, x and require less x on the patients part than other x
e.g cbt requires a x for people to think about their x problems , which isnt the case for behavioural therapies
this x of thinking means the technique is also useful for people who x insight into their x/x such as x or patients w learning x
strength cus means behavuioural therapies are x and x to a wide and diverse x of individuals giving it a greater x to help people x with their x
BT for dealing with phobias generally faster, cheaper and require less effort on the patients part than other psychotherapies
e.g cbt requires a willingness for people to think about their mental problems , which isnt the case for behavioural therapies
this lack of thinking means the technique is also useful for people who lack insight into their motivations or emotions such as kids or patients w learning difficulties
strength cus means behavuioural therapies are applicable and helpful to a wide and diverse range of individuals giving it a greater scope to help people deal with their problems
EVAL - strenght - effectiveness of systematic desensitisagion
Further support comes from researcher who examined x patients with x
each patient was treated using the same x 45 minute systematic desensitisation sessions
when examined x months and then x months later SD group where less fearful than control group (who were only taught x techniques)
this provides support for SD as an x treatment for phobias in the x term
Further support comes from researcher who examined 42 patients with arachnophobia
each patient was treated using the same 3 45 minute systematic desensitisation sessions
when examined 3 months and then 33 months later SD group where less fearful than control group (who were only taught relaxation techniques)
this provides support for SD as an effectove treatment for phobias in the long term
EVAL - limitation - highly traumatic
although considered x x solution , it can be highly x for patients since it x elicits a high level of x
x recalled a case with a patient becoming so intensley x she required x
although not x as patients provide x consent , many dont x treatment cause xp too x
so x flooding treatment is sometimes a x of money if pt dont x in or x the full coruse of treatment
although considered cost effective solution , it can be highly traumatic for patients since it purposefully elicits a high level of anxiety
wolpe recalled a case with a patient becoming so intensley anxiosu she required hospitalisaiton
although not unethical as patients provide fully informed consent , many dont complete treatment cause xp too stressful
so intiiating flooding treatment is sometimes a waste of money if pt dont engage in or compelte the full coruse of treatment
EVAL - limtiation - symptom substitution
BT may not work with x phobias as x only x of the iceberg
if symptoms x the x still remians and teh symptoms will x possibly in x form
e.g child struggling to cope with x may displace anxiety about death onto somethign more x to deal xe.g x of leaving the x
if so makes sense x source of anxieyt needs to be x not the displaced x
though behavioursist calim x if nto all phobias come about through x , this lack of x on potential x causes of phobias could be x and is limitation
BT may not work with certain phobias as symptoms only th etip of the iceberg
if symptoms removed the cause still remians and teh symptoms will resurface possibly in anotehr form
e.g child struggling to cope with bereavemnt may displace anxiety about death onto somethign more easier to deal with e.g fear of leaving the house
if so makes sense real source of anxieyt needs to be treated not the displaced fear
though behavioursist calim most if nto all phobias come about through conditioning , this lack of focus on potential underlying causes of phobias could be problematic and is limitation
