Treatments of phobias Flashcards
What is systematic desensitisation?
Therapy aimed to gradually reduce phobic anxiety through classical conditioning.
If person can relax = cured (counter-conditioning)
What is the anxiety hierarchy?
The anxiety hierarchy —> list put together by client and therapist.
~ Least frightening to most frightening
What is the process of relaxation?
Idea that it’s impossible to be relaxed and afraid at the same time as one emotion overpowers the other —> Reciprocal inhibition.
Breathing exercises/mental imagery techniques.
Or can use drugs.
What is exposure?
Client exposed to phobia in relaxed state.
Takes place in several sessions at the bottom of anxiety hierarchy.
Relaxed in presence of lower levels of phobia = move up hierarchy.
Treatment successful = relaxed at top of hierarchy.
What is flooding?
No gradual build-up
Faces phobic stimulus head on~immediate exposure.
Typically longer than SD.
No relaxation techniques.
Why does flooding work?
Without option of avoidance = client learns that phobic stimulus is harmless.
Extinction ~> A learned response is extinguished when the conditioned stimulus is met without the unconditioned stimulus..
Conditioned stimulus no longer produces a conditioned response.
Strength of SD
Research support
Gilroy et al (2002) examined 42 patients with arachnophobia.
Each patient treated using 3, 45-minute SD sessions
Examined 3 and 33 months later and SD group less fearful of control group (only taught relaxation techniques)
Effectiveness of SD long-term.
Strength of SD
Learning difficulties
People with learning difficulties struggle with cognitive treatments —> require complex rational thoughts
May feel confused and distressed due to traumatic nature of flooding
Only appropriate option.
Weakness of flooding
Highly traumatic as it purposefully elicits high levels of anxiety.
Wolpe (1969) = patient hospitalised due to intense anxiety
Not unethical due to informed consent but may not complete treatment due to stress.
High attribution rate
Sometimes waste of time/money if patient do not fully engage.
Weakness of behavioural therapy
Symptom substitution
May not work as root issue not established
Cause will simply resurface in another form.
e.g: child struggling with bereavement may displace anxiety onto something more tangible like leaving the house. Real source of anxiety not treated.
Lack of focus = problematic and limitation of behavioural therapies.
General strengths of behavioural therapies
Faster
Cheaper
Require less effort on patients end.
CBT requires willingness to think of mental problems.
Lack of thinking = more accessible to range of people who may not understand such complex ideals (children).
Applicable and helpful to diverse range of individuals = greater scope to help people deal with their issues.
