Psychopathology - behavioural approach to treating behaviours

Question 1

what are teh 2 behavioural approaches to treating phobias

Answer 1

systematic desensitisation
flooding

Question 2

what is systemic desensitisation

Answer 2

behavioural therapy designed to gradually reduce phobic anxiety through the principle of classical conditioning

Question 3

SD - if person can learn to relax in presence of phobic stimulus they will be

Answer 3

cured

Question 4

SD - explain the classical conditioning version of SD

Answer 4

New response to phobic stimulus is learnt

as its paired with relaxation instead of anxiety

Question 5

SD - in terms of CC the learning of a differnet response is called

Answer 5

counter conditioing

Question 6

What are the 3 processes involved in SD

Answer 6

THE ANXIETY HIERACHY

RELAXATION

EXPOSURE

Question 7

ANXIETY HIERACHY - who puts it togther

Answer 7

client with phobia and therapist

Question 8

ANXIETY HIERACHY - what is it

Answer 8

list of situations

related to phobic stimulus

that provoke anxiety arranged in order from least to most frightening

Question 9

ANXIETY HIERACHY - give example of anxiety hierachy for n arachnaphobuc

Answer 9

lowon anxiety hierachy - pic of a spider

high on axiety hierachy - holding tarantula

Question 10

RELAXATION - what does herapist teach client

Answer 10

relax as deeply as possible

Question 11

RELAXATION - what is reciprocal inhibition

Answer 11

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

Question 12

RELAXATION - what does involve

Answer 12

breathing techniques

client may learn mental imagery techniques

Question 13

RELAXATION - what can client be taught mentally

Answer 13

imagine tehmseves relaxing in situatins (e.g lying on beach)

may learn meditation

Question 14

RELAXATION - alternativley can be achieved by using drugs such as

Answer 14

valium

Question 15

EXPOSURE - What is this WH

Answer 15

client is exposed to phobic stimuuls while in a relaxed state

Question 16

EXPOSURE - takes place across..

Answer 16

several sessins

starting at the bottom of anxiety hierachy

Question 17

EXPOSURE - when client can stay relaxed in rpescence of phobic stimulus whwat happens

Answer 17

they move up hierachy

Question 18

EXPOSURE - when is treatment succesfuk

Answer 18

client can stay relaxed in situations high on the anxiety hierachy

Question 19

FLOODING - what is it

Answer 19

exposing people with a phobia to their phobic stimulus through immediate exposure to a very frighttening situation

Question 20

FLOODING - give example for someon with arachnophobia

Answer 20

large spider crawl over them for extended POT

Question 21

FLOODING - These session ar etyically what that SD

Answer 21

LONGER

Question 22

FLOODING - How long can session last for

Answer 22

2-3 hours

Question 23

FLOODING - t/f sometimes only one long session is needed to cure phobia

Answer 23

t

Question 24

FLOODING - stops phobic responses very

Answer 24

quickly

Question 25

FLOODING - why does it stop phobic responese very quickly

Answer 25

without option of avoidance behaviour , client quickly learns phobic stimulus is harmless

Question 26

FLOODING - in CC terms the phobic repsones being stoped very quickly is know as

Answer 26

extinction

Question 27

FLOODING - what is extincion

Answer 27

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

Question 28

FLOODING - in some cases client ahcieves relaxagion in presecne of phobic stimulus because

Answer 28

they become exhausted of their own fear repsonse

Question 29

ETHICAL SAFEGUARDS - suprisingly flooding isnt

Answer 29

unethical

Question 30

ETHICAL SAFEGUARDS - flooding isnt unethical but it is an un

Answer 30

unpleasent experience

Question 31

ETHICAL SAFEGUARDS - since flooding is an unpleasnat experienc eits important clinets give

Answer 31

fully informed conssent to this traumatic procedure and theyre fully prepared before flooding session

Question 32

ETHICAL SAFEGUARDS - cient normally given choice between

Answer 32

systematic desensitisation

flooding

Question 33

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

Answer 33

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

Question 34

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

Answer 34

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

Question 35

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

Answer 35

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

Question 36

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

Answer 36

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