The behavioural approach to treating phobias

Question 1

Define systematic desensitisation and outline the 3 processes involved in SD

Answer 1

• behavioural therapy designed to reduce an unwanted response through classical conditioning
• anxiety hierarchy
• relaxation (patient is told to relax as deeply as possible)
• exposure

Question 2

What is counterconditioning

Answer 2

• the learning of a different response

Question 3

What is reciprocal inhibitation

Answer 3

• when one emotion prevents the other

Question 4

Define flooding

Answer 4

• behavioural therapy in which patient is exposed to their phobic stimulus without a gradual build up in an anxiety hierarchy, typically longer than systematic desensitisation as one session lasts 2-3 hours

Question 5

How does flooding work?

Answer 5

• without the option of avoidance the patient quickly learns that the phobic stimulus is of no harm to the person
• this process is called extinction
• in some cases the patient achieves relaxation in the presence of their phobic stimulus simply because they become exhausted by their own fear response

Question 6

What is a strength of systematic desensitisation

Answer 6

• it is effective in the treatment of specific phobias
• refer to Gilroy’s study
• this shows that SD is helpful in reducing anxiety in specific phobias and that the effects are long lasting

Question 7

Outline Gilroy et al.’s study

Answer 7

• followed up 42 patients who had been treated for arachnophobia in three 45 minute sessions of SD
• phobia was measured through, for example, a spider questionnaire
• a control group was treated by relaxation without exposure
• 33 months later, SD group were less fearful than the relaxation group

Question 8

What is another strength of SD

Answer 8

• patients want it
• includes elements that are actually pleasant
• low refusal rates
• low attrition rates

Question 9

What is a strength of flooding

Answer 9

• studies have shown that flooding as a treatment is as effective or if not more effective then other treatments, meaning patients are free of their symptoms as soon as possible and it is a cheaper treatment

Question 10

What is a limitation of flooding as a treatment to phobia

Answer 10

• since patients are sometimes unwilling to stay till the end of the treatment it can be traumatic
• it is not unethical since patience give consent but it does have high attrition rates
• time and money are sometimes wasted