the behavioural approach to treating phobias

Question 1

explain what systematic desensitisation is

Answer 1

is a behavioural therapy designed to gradually reduce phobic anxiety through the principle of classical conditioning, If a person can learn to relax in the presence of a phobic stimulus, their phobia can be cured.
A new response to the phobic stimulus is created- this learning of a different response is called counterconditioning.

Question 2

explain the three processes in systematic desensitisation

Answer 2

1. The anxiety hierarchy
   - put together by client and therapist
   - arranged from least to most frightening of situations related to the phobic stimulus.
2. Relaxation
   - therapist teaches client to relax as deeply as possible.
   - being relaxed prevents the emotion of feeling scared (known as reciprocal inhibition). might involve breathing activities or mental imagery techniques/meditation. Alternative methods are drugs such as Valium.
3. Exposure
   - client is exposed to phobic stimulus in the state of being relaxed and they move up the hierarchy. Treatment is successful once the client can stay relaxed when high up on the hierarchy.

Question 3

give an explanation of flooding

Answer 3

without a gradual build up in anxiety hierarchy.
immediate exposure to a very frightening situation.
longer than systematic desensitisation sessions e.g. 2-3 hours
sometimes only one long session is needed to cure a phobia.

Question 4

how does flooding work?

Answer 4

stops phobia very quickly because it removes avoidance behaviour.
- client quickly learns the phobic stimulus is not dangerous- classical conditioning terms this is known as extinction.
A learnt response is extinguished when the conditioned stimulus is encountered with the unconditioned stimulus

Question 5

explain the ethical safeguards of flooding

Answer 5

not unethical but it is very unpleasant so its important clients must give informed consent and be fully prepared

Question 6

evaluate systematic desensitisation

Answer 6

evidence of effectiveness (strength)
- Gilroy et al. (2005) followed up 42 people who had SD in three 45 min sessions at both 3 and 33 months. The SD group were less fearful than the control group treated by relaxation without exposure

people with learning difficulties (strength)
- used to help people with learning difficulties
- people with learning difficulties often struggle with cognitive therapies that require complex rational thoughts and also mi8ght be confused by things like flooding. So this one is the most appropriate treatment for people with learning difficulties

Question 7

evaluate flooding

Answer 7

cost effective (strength)
- clinically effective and not expensive
- can work in as little as one session instead of 10 sessions of SD to achieve the same result.
therefore more people can be treated at the same cost with flooding than SD or alternative therapies.

Traumatic (limitation)
- is a highly unpleasant experience
Schumacher et al. (2015) found that participants and therapists rated flooding as significantly more stressful that SD.- raises ethical issues for psychologists of knowingly causing stress to an individual, not a serious issue provided that they give informed consent .
- attrition (dropout) rates are much higher than for SD so therefore therapists should avoid using this treatment.