Psychopathology - Behavioural Treatment AO1

Question 1

What are the behavioural treatments for phobias?

Answer 1

• Systematic Desensitisation
• Flooding

Question 2

Who made Systematic Desensitisation?

Answer 2

Wolpe

Question 3

What is SD?

Answer 3

A form of therapy for phobias that involves establishing a fear hierarchy and teaching patients relaxation techniques in order to stop a phobia

Question 4

What are the steps for SD?

Answer 4

1. Patient is taught how to relax by a therapist
2. Therapist and patient make a fear hierarchy
3. Patient gradually works through each step on the hierarchy by using the relaxing techniques they learnt in (if they remain relaxed they can move to the next step in the hierarchy)
4. Patient masters their phobia
5. Homework is also given between sessions

Question 5

What is Reciprocal Inhibition?

Answer 5

Where you teach a behaviour that is not compatible with the fear response (relaxation) as it is impossible to be scared and relaxed at the same time so one emotion (relaxation) prevents the other (fear).

Question 6

What is Counter Conditioning?

Answer 6

When a new response to a phobia replaces another

Question 7

What are the two types of exposure?

Answer 7

1. In vitro (imagination or virtual reality)
2. In vitro (actual contact)

Question 8

What is flooding?

Answer 8

A type of behavioural therapy where a patient is immediately exposed to their phobia without the gradual build up. Each session is 2-3 hours long and a phobia can be cured within one session.

Question 9

How does flooding work?

Answer 9

It stops the phobic response quickly as the patient doesn’t have the option of avoidance. This means that the patient quickly learns that the phobic stimuli is harmless. This is called extinction.