Psychopathology: The Behavioural Approach To Treating Phobias Flashcards
What are the two behavioural approaches to treating phobias
- systematic desensitisation
- flooding
Outline ‘systematic desensitisation’ as a behavioural approach to treating phobias
- behavioural therapy designed to gradually reduce phobic anxiety through classical conditioning
- essentially, a new response to the phobic stimulus is learned,the learning of a differently response is known as counter conditioning (where the phobic stimulus is paired with relaxation rather than anxiety)
- reciprocal inhibition - it is impossible to be afraid and relaxed at the same time to one emotion prevents the other
What are the three processes involved in systematic desensitisation
- the anxiety hierarchy - put together by the patient and therapist.
- relaxation - therapist teaches the patient to relax as deeply as possible through breathing exercises etc
- exposure - patient is exposed to phobic stimulus while in a relaxed state, takes place across several sessions starting from bottom of anxiety hierarchy
What are the three evaluation points for systematic desensitisation
- it is effective
- suitable for a diverse range of patients
- acceptable to patients
Outline ‘it is effective’ as an evaluation point for systematic desensitisation
- effective in treatment of specific phobias
- gilroy et al - followed up 42 patients treated for spider phobia in 3 45 minute sessions of systematic desensitisation
- a control group was treated by relaxation without exposure
- at 3 months and 33 months after the treatment the SD group were less fearful than the control group
Outline ‘suitable for a diverse range of patients’ as an evaluation point for systematic desensitisation
- the alternative (flooding and cognitive therapies)are not suitable for all patients
-some sufferers of anxiety disorders like phobias also have learning difficulties - learning difficulties can make it difficult for the individual to understand what is happening during flooding
Outline ‘acceptable to patients ’ as an evaluation point for systematic desensitisation
- the patients prefer systematic desensitisation
- it does not cause the same degree of trauma as flooding
- this is reflected in the low refusal rates and low attrition rates of SD
Outline ‘flooding’ as a behavioural approach to treating phobias
- immediate exposure to a very frightful situation
- typically longer than a SD session (one session may last 2-3 hours) but normally requires fewer sessions
How does flooding work
- flooding stops phobic responses very quickly - because without the option of avoidance behaviour, the individual learns the phobic stimulus is harmless (extinction of phobia)
- in some cases, a patient may achieve relaxation in the presence of the phobic stimulus because they are exhausted
How is flooding made ethical
- patients give fully informed consent to the traumatic procedure
- they are given then option of SD or flooding in most cases
What are the three evaluation points for flooding
- it is cost effective
- less effective for some types of phobias
- treatment can be traumatic
Outline ‘it is cost effective’ as an evaluation point for flooding
- studies comparing flooding to cognitive therapies have found flooding is highly effective and quicker than alternative
- so patients are free of their symptoms as soon as possible
Outline ‘less effective for some types of phobias ’ as an evaluation point for flooding
- highly effective for treating simple phobias but much less effective for complex phobias like social phobias
- this may be because social phobias have cognitive aspects
- this type of phobia may benefit more from cognitive therapies because therapists tackle the irrational thinking
Outline ‘treatment can be traumatic ’ as an evaluation point for flooding
- highly traumatic experience
- it is not unethical but patients are often unwilling to see it through till the end
- so time and money are sometimes wasted preparing patients only to have them refuse to start or complete treatment
