7. Behavioural Interventions

Question 1

what are behavioural interventions?

Answer 1

Any treatment based on behavioural principles of learning such as classical and operant conditioning.

Question 2

what is aversion therapy? what is this for alcohol? what is this for gambling?

Answer 2

treatment based on classical conditioning. A maladaptive behaviour is paired with an unpleasant stimulus such as an electric shock. An in vivo experience. For alcohol addiction, this is Antabuse, an aversive. For gambling, this is the implementation of a shock each time a gambling-related phrase is read off a card.

Question 3

evaluate the use of aversion therapy. (-3)

Answer 3

• Hayek and Stead reviewed 25 studies of aversion therapies used to treat nicotine addiction. Bias within experimenter found as they were aware of who received placebo vs actual treatment.
• McConaghy found aversion therapy to be more effective as a short term fix.
• The ethics is also questionable. However, it is consensual and self-administered.

Question 4

what is covert sensitisation? what support for it is there?

Answer 4

Covert sensitisation is a form of aversion therapy also based on classical conditioning except exposure is in vitro (imagined.)
- McConaghy found that after a year, 90% of CS patients were still abstaining. This was the case for only 30% of AT participants.