⚫ Psychopathology: Behavioural approach to treating phobias

Question 1

What are the behavioural therapy designs to treating phobias

Answer 1

• Systematic desensitisation
• Flooding

Question 2

What is flooding

Answer 2

• It is a behavioural therapy design where people with phobias are exposed to their phobic stimuli WITHOUT a gradual build up in an anxiety hierarchy
• It involves immediate exposure to a very frightening situation

Question 3

What is systematic desensitisation

Answer 3

• It is a behaviours therapy design used to gradually reduce phobic anxiety through the principle of classical conditioning
• They learn to relax in the presence of their phobic stimuli

Question 4

State the three processes involved in systematic desensitisation (in order)

Answer 4

• Anxiety hierarchy
• Relaxation
• Exposure

Question 5

Outline the anxiety hierarchy as a stage in systematic desensitisation

Answer 5

• It is the first stage in systematic desensitisation
• A list put together by both the client with the phobic and the therapist - arranged into least to worst frightening
• It consists of situations related to the phobic stimuli that provokes anxiety

Question 6

Outline relaxation as a stage in systematic desensitisation

Answer 6

• It is the second stage in systematic desensitisation
• The therapist teaches the client to relax as deeply as possible (bc it is impossible to be afraid and relaxed at the same time - so one emotion prevents the other)
• This could involve breathing exercises and learn mental imagery techniques (imagining themselves in relaxing situations) OR drugs like Valium

Question 7

What is reciprocal inhibition

Answer 7

It is when one emotion prevents the other

Question 8

Outline exposure a stage in systematic desensitisation

Answer 8

• It is the third stage in systematic desensitisation
• The client is exposed to the phobic stimuli while in a relaxed state over several sessions - starting at the bottom of the anxiety hierarchy
• Clients move up the hierarchy when they are able to stay relaxed in the presence of the phobic stimuli

Question 9

What is counterconditioning

Answer 9

The learning of a different response

Question 10

How is systematic desensitisation a type of counterconditioning

Answer 10

A new response to the phobic stimuli is learned (phobic stimulus is replaced with relaxation instead of anxiety)

Question 11

Which sessions are longer, flooding or systematic desensitisation

Answer 11

Flooding sessions

Question 12

How would a individual with arachnophobia receive flooding treatment

Answer 12

They might have a large spider crawl over them for an extended period of time

Question 13

What is an ethical safeguard procedure that has to be given before a flooding session

Answer 13

Informed consent

Question 14

Outline how flooding works

Answer 14

• It removes the option of voidance behaviour - which allows the client to quickly learn that the phobic stimuli is harmless (this is called extinction is classical conditioning terms)
• In some cases the client may achieve relaxation because they become exhausted by their own fear response

Question 15

Outline how extinction is achieved during flooding

Answer 15

• A learned response is extinguished when the conditioned stimulus is encountered without the unconditioned stimulus
• This results in the conditioned stimuli no longer producing the conditioned response (fear)