Reducing Addiction: Behavioural Interventions

Question 1

What are the 2 behavioural interventions?

Answer 1

1. Aversion therapy - real unpleasant association
2. Covert sensitisation - imagined unpleasant association

Question 2

Explain how Aversion Therapy works.

Answer 2

• Aim to decrease addictive behaviours by associating them with real unpleasant sensations
• Based on classical conditioning
• Engage in behaviour while being exposed to something unpleasant (electric shock/drug causing nausea)
• Once associated with unpleasant stimulus, behaviour will decrease/stop

Question 3

Give an example of aversion therapy for alcohol and gambling addiction.

Answer 3

• Alcohol - given aversive drug that causes severe nausea & vomiting when taken with alcohol, repeated pairings produce expectation of vomiting when they drink
• Gambling - reads out gambling related phrase & given 2 sec electric shock, repeated pairings pain associated with gambling

Question 4

Explain how Covert sensitisation works.

Answer 4

Imagine unpleasant scenarios which are associated with their addiction.

Question 5

Give an example of covert sensitisation for alcohol addiction.

Answer 5

• Would imagine themselves engaging in behaviours associated with drinking (opening bottle)
• Then would vividly imagine unpleasant consequence (intense nausea & vomiting over themselves)
• Constant association would eventually lose desire to drink