the behavioural approach to treating phobias

Question 1

what is systematic desensitisation?

Answer 1

a behavioural therapy designed to gradually reduce phobic anxiety through the principle of classical conditioning

Question 2

How many processes does it involve?

Answer 2

3

Question 3

What is the processes?

Answer 3

The anxiety hierarchy
Relaxation
Exposure

Question 4

The anxiety hierarchy?

Answer 4

put together by the patient and therapist
It is a list of situation related to the phobic stimulus that provoke anxiety, arranged in order form least to most frightening

Question 5

Relaxation?

Answer 5

the therapist teaches the patient to relax as deeply as possible
*might involve breathing exercises
patients can be taught to imagine themselves n relaxing situations

Question 6

Exposure?

Answer 6

the patient is exposed to the phobic stimulus while in a relaxed state
treatment=successful when the patient can stay relaxed in situations high on the anxiety hierarchy

Question 7

what is reciprocal inhibition?

Answer 7

when it is impossible to be afraid and relaxed at the same time = one emotion prevents the other

Question 8

what is counter-conditioning

Answer 8

a new response to the phobic stimulus is learnt

Question 9

what is flooding?

Answer 9

involves exposing phobic patients to their phobic stimulus but without a gradual build up in an anxiety hierarchy

Question 10

How does flooding work?

Answer 10

Flooding stops phobic responses very quickly because without the option of avoidance behaviour»»patients learn that the phobic stimulus is harmless

Question 11

What are the ethical safeguards?

Answer 11

Flooding is unethical.

*it is important that patients give fully informed consent to this traumatic procedure.