The Behavioural Approach to Treating Phobias

Question 1

Systematic desensitisation uses which type of conditioning to reduce anxiety?

Answer 1

Classical conditioning

Question 2

What is the main aim of systematic desensitisation?

Answer 2

The person learns to relax in the presence of the stimulus.

Question 3

What is the 1st stage to systematic desensitisation?

Answer 3

Building an anxiety hierarchy.

Question 4

What is the anxiety hierarchy?

Answer 4

A list of situations, put together by a client and a therapist, related to the phobic stimulus listed from least to most frightening.

Question 5

What is the 2nd stage to systematic desensitisation?

Answer 5

Relaxation

Question 6

What is relaxation in systematic desensitisation?
What 2 things can’t occur at the same time and what is the name for this?

Answer 6

Therapist teaches the person to relax as deeply as possible, as relaxation and fear can’t occur at the same time. This is called reciprocal inhibition.

Question 7

Give examples of relaxation techniques.

Answer 7

Meditation, breathing exercises etc

Question 8

What is the 3rd stage of systematic desensitisation called?

Answer 8

Exposure

Question 9

Explain what exposure in systematic desensitisation is.
Explain how it gradually reduces anxiety.

Answer 9

The client is exposed to the phobic stimulus while in a relaxed state. They begin at the bottom of the anxiety hierarchy. Once the client can relax at the bottom of the hierarchy, they can progress to the next stage. This continues until the client can relax fully at each stage until they reach the top of the hierarchy.

Question 10

What is flooding?

Answer 10

A technique used to treat phobias where the person is immediately exposed to their most feared object/situation.

Question 11

Explain what extinction is and how it works in flooding.

Answer 11

Extinction is when there is a loss of association between the neutral stimulus and conditioned response.
The client quickly learns that the phobic stimulus is harmless.

Question 11

How does the length and frequency of flooding sessions compare to systematic desensitisation?

Answer 11

Flooding sessions are longer, but fewer are needed.

Question 12

Why must clients give fully informed consent before flooding takes place?

Answer 12

The procedure is traumatic.

Question 13

Explain the strength of systematic desensitisation being effective.
Use the example from Gilroy who treated people with a spider phobia in 3 sessions.
After 33 months, how did the group treated with SD compare to the control group treated with relaxation only?

Answer 13

Evidence has shown that people have successfully been treated using SD. For example, Gilroy treated people who had a spider phobia in three, 45-minute sessions. After 33 months, the group treated with SD were less fearful than a control group treated by relaxation without exposure. Additional evidence from McGrath showed that 75% of people with phobias have successfully been treated using SD. This shows that SD is helpful for people with phobias.

Question 14

Explain the strength of SD being used for treating people with learning difficulties.
Compare it to flooding and how it can be traumatic for those who may not understand the full implications of it.
What ethical issues surround flooding?

Answer 14

Alternative methods of treating phobias such as flooding have proven to be traumatic and unsuitable for people with learning difficulties as they cannot give informed consent. This reduces the number of ethical issues associated with treating phobias, as psychological harm is less likely to be experienced. This means that SD is an appropriate treatment for people who are unable to consent to other treatments.

Question 15

Explain the strength of flooding being cost effective.
Compare the number of flooding sessions required with SD sessions. How does this benefit the NHS?

Answer 15

Flooding is a relatively short process, with many people not requiring more than 2 sessions. This is therefore cost effective for the NHS and the client, and clinically effective. This means that flooding can achieve the same result as SD, in a shorter amount of time, with the same end result.

Question 16

Explain the limitation of flooding potentially only masking the symptoms of phobias.
Is the phobia actually treated if symptoms are masked?
Use the example from Person’s who reported the case of a woman with a phobia of death who was treated with flooding.
- What other phobia of hers became worse after treatment?
What research method has produced evidence for symptom substitution.

Answer 16

This means that the underlying cause of phobias is not treated. This is called symptom substitution. For example, Persons reported the case of a woman who had a fear of death who was treated with flooding. Flooding was effective at curing her fear of death, however, her symptoms of her phobia of criticism only became more prominent, suggesting her symptoms were masked. On the other hand, the only evidence for symptom substitution comes from case studies which only apply to individual people. This means that it may not be accurate to say that flooding only masks symptoms.