The Behavioural Approach To Treating Phobias

Question 1

Systematic Desensitiation (SD)

Answer 1

• Designed to gradually reduce phobic anxiety
• Through principle of classical conditioning => relaxation w/phobic stimulus = cured
• New response to stimulus is learned (Counter-conditioning)

Question 2

Process of SD

Answer 2

1st - Therapist put together anxiety hierarchy w/ situations related to phobic stimulus to least to most scary

2nd - Therapist reaches patient relaxation exercises/mental imagery techniques

3rd - Patient gradually exposed to phobic stimulus while in relaxed state

Question 3

How SD Works

Answer 3

• Over several sessions working up anxiety hierarchy
• Moving up if stay relaxed in presence of lowered phobic stimulus

=> Works due to RECIPROCAL INHIBITION - cant be relaxed + afraid at the same time
- Due to new association - phobia gone

Question 4

Flooding

Answer 4

Involves exposing patients to phobic stimulus all at once - immediate exposure to frightening situation

Question 5

How Flooding Works

Answer 5

Works due to lack of avoidance behavior - patient learns phobic stimulus is harmless

EXTINCTION learned response extinguished when conditioned stimulus (dog) present w/o unconditioned stimulus (bites)

Question 6

SD - Shown to be effective in treating specific phobias (AO3)

Answer 6

Gilroy et al (2003) - 42 arachnophobes treated in 3 45 min sessions

=> Phobia assessed w/ questionaire and response to spider
At 3 + 33 months SD group less fearful than control

Question 7

SD - Accessible to patients w/ learning difficulties (AO3)

Answer 7

• May be difficult to understand what is happening during flooding or engage in cognitive therapies
• Generally preferred as more ethical and less traumatic

Question 8

Flooding - Critiqued as Highly Traumatic (AO3)

Answer 8

• High attrition rates from patients being unwilling to see it through
• Time and money wasted as a result

Question 9

Flooding - Still effective (AO3)

Answer 9

More clinically effective than SD

• Works as well but in 1 session
• Cheaper for healthcare systems like NHS to provide

Question 10

SD + Flooding - Not as effective for Complex phobias (AO3)

Answer 10

• Phobias like fear of public speaking / social situations have more COGNITIVE aspects
  e. g. irrational thinking, perfectionism, catastrophisation
• THUS cognitive therapies nay work better for social phobias to challenge thought patterns

Question 11

SD + Flooding - Approach is Superficial

Answer 11

• Phobias may be caused by deep psychological neurosis
• Removing 1 set of symptoms (fear of snakes) reappear as another phobia
• Phobias are caused by projection - psychodynamics - a phobia is representative for trauma
• Thus Cognitive therapies would be more effective