The behavioural approach to treating phobias

Question 1

what is the aim of systematic desensitisation?

Answer 1

a behavioural therapy designed to gradually reduce phobic anxiety through the principle of classical conditioning. If the sufferer can learn to relax in the presence of the phobic stimulus they will be cured.

Question 2

Explain systematic desensitisation as an approach to treating phobias

Answer 2

a new response to the phobic stimulus is learned (relaxation instead of anxiety). This learning of a different response is called counterconditioning. In addition, its impossible to be afraid and relaxed at the same time, so one emotion prevents the other which is called reciprocal inhibition.

Question 3

explain the 3 processes involved in SD

Answer 3

1. The anxiety hierarchy - put together by the patient and therapist and is a list of situations related to the phobic stimulus that provoke anxiety arranged in order from least to most frightening
2. Relaxation - therapist teaches patient to relax as deeply as possible, this might involve breathing exercises or patient might learn mental imagery techniques
3. Exposure - patient exposed to phobic stimulus while in a relaxed state. When the patient can stay relaxed in the lower levels of the phobic stimulus they move up the hierarchy. Treatment is successful when patient can remain relaxed in situations high on the anxiety hierarchy

Question 4

Explain flooding

Answer 4

Involves immediate exposure to a very frightening situation.Takes place across a small number of long therapy sessions.Flooding stops phobic responses very quickly. This may be because without the option of avoidance behaviour, the patient quickly learns that the phobic stimulus is harmless. In CC terms this process is called extinction

Question 5

Ethical safeguards with flooding

Answer 5

unpleasant experience so it is important patients give fully informed consent to this traumatic procedure and that they are fully prepared before the session. A patient would normally be given the choice of SD or flooding.

Question 6

AO3- sd is suitable for a diverse range of patients

Answer 6

The alternatives to sd- flooding and cognitive therapies are not well suited to some patients. For example, some sufferers of phobias also have learning difficulties. Learning difficulties can make it very hard for some patients to understand what is happening during flooding or to engage with cognitive therapies that require the ability to reflect on what you are thinking. For these patients sd is probably the most appropriate treatment.

Question 7

AO3- it is acceptable to patients

Answer 7

a strength of sd is that patients prefer it. Those given the choice of sd or flooding tend to prefer sd. This is largely because it does not cause the same degree of trauma as flooding. It may also be because sd includes some elements - learning relaxation procedures - that are actually pleasant. Tis is reflected in the low refusal rate and low attrition rates of sd.

Question 8

AO3- traumatic for patients

Answer 8

The most serious issue with the use of flooding is the fact that it is a highly traumatic experience. The problem is not that flooding is unethical (patients give consent) but that patients are often unwilling to see it through to the end. This is a lim of flooding bc time and money are sometimes wasted preparing patients only to have them refuse to start or complete treatment.