Psychopathology: behavioural treatments for phobias

Question 1

What are the two types of treatments for phobias?

Answer 1

-systematic desensitisation
-flooding

Question 2

What does systematic desensitisation involve?

Answer 2

-use of counter conditioning (learning a new positive association to the phobic stimulus)
-reciprocal inhibition (fear and relaxation cannot co-exist)

Question 3

What is learnt through systematic desensitisation?

Answer 3

-relaxation techniques
-anxiety hierarchy established
-gradual exposure

Question 4

What’s a negative to systematic desensitisation as a treatment?

Answer 4

-long process, disruptive to lives and more expensive choice for NHS -Joseph wolpe took as many as 100 sessions

Question 5

What’s a positive to systematic desensitisation as a treatment?

Answer 5

-gradual exposure (not as extreme as flooding) -drop out rates are higher for flooding so therapist more likely to offer SD to avoid time and money wasting

Question 6

What does flooding involve?

Answer 6

-immediate extreme exposure to the phobia

Question 7

How does flooding get rid of the phobia?

Answer 7

-fear becomes exhausted
-phobia then becomes extinct because avoidance is prevented

Question 8

What is a strength to flooding as a treatment?

Answer 8

-cost effective -1 long session (Joseph wolpe) spent 4 hours in a car to treat agoraphobia, non disruptive to lives more useful choice for NHS

Question 9

What is a negative to flooding as a treatment?

Answer 9

-could be traumatic -Sarah schamuer et al found patients found flooding to be more stressful then SD