Psychopathology - Behavioural Treatments For Phobias Flashcards
1
Q
Systematic desensitisation
A
- developed by Wolpe to reduce phobias by using classical conditioning
- SD replaces fear and anxiety with relaxed responses
- reciprocal inhibition = counter conditioning
2
Q
Reciprocal inhibition
A
idea that it’s impossible to experience 2 opposite emotions at once
3
Q
Counter conditioning
A
if patient learns to be relaxed in the presence of their phobia they can be cured.
4
Q
Stages of systematic desensitisation
A
- hierarchy of fear
- relaxation training
- gradual exposure
5
Q
Hierarchy of fear
A
- constructed by therapist and patient
- situations involving phobic object are ranked from least to most fearful
E.g. if scared of snake then first merely look at photo of a snake and later hold a snake
6
Q
Relaxation training
A
- patients are taught deep muscle relaxation techniques e.g. PMR
- when doing the relaxation response, patients are asked to sit quietly and comfortable and close their eyes
- then start by relaxing muscles of their feet + work their way up their body relaxing muscles.
- asked to breathe deeply, meditate + imagine relaxing situations during this
7
Q
Progressive muscular relaxation
A
- first tense up a group of muscles so they’re as tightly contracted as possible
- hold them in a state of extreme tension for a few seconds
- relax muscles to their previous state
- consciously relax muscles even further so you’re relaxed as possible
8
Q
Gradual exposure
A
- patient introduced to phobic object + work their way up anxiety hierarchy starting w least frightening stage
- use relaxation techniques while exposed to phobic object
- when comfortable with one stage they move to the next
- through repeated exposure to phobic object w relaxation and no fear, phobia is eliminated
9
Q
SD positive - little Peter
A
- Jones supports use of SD to eradicate ‘little peter’s’ phobia
- white rabbit presented to little Peter + slowly closer to him each time his anxiety levels lessoned
- eventually developed affection for the white rabbit
10
Q
SD positive - panic disorders
A
- Klosko et al. Support
- assessed various therapies for treatment of panic disorders + 87% of patients cured after SD, 50% from medication, 36% of placebo and 33% no treatment
11
Q
SD negative - symptoms
A
- treatments address symptoms of phobias but these are just tip of the iceberg + underlying causes of phobia will remain
- in the further, symptoms will return / symptom substitution will occur (other abnormal behaviours replace the removed one)
12
Q
Flooding meaning
A
- directly exposing the patient to their phobic option
- taught relaxation techniques e.g. deep muscle relaxation beforehand
- immediate exposure to a very frightening + extreme situation e.g. person holding a snake for a long time
- can be real or virtual
- patient and psychologist discuss the terms beforehand and patient gives their fully informed consent. Flooding is usually a 2-3 hour session (much faster than SD)
13
Q
How does flooding work?
A
- patient has no option to avoid + eventually anxiety levels will lower = quickly learn phobic object is harmless + extinction occurs
- may be so exhausted by their own fear response that they achieve relaxation
14
Q
Flooding positive = cost
A
- cost effective
- doesn’t take very long compared to other therapies = v long
- patient is over phobia faster so cost effective and cheaper
15
Q
Flooding negative = less effective
A
- less effective for curing some types of phobia
- social phobias have more cognitive aspects that flooding can’t address
- e.g. negative thoughts about speaking in public would be better cured w cognitive therapies
