addictive - modifying: aversion: effectiveness Flashcards
(3 cards)
supporting research
P: supporting research = is effective
E: Smith et al. (1997) alcoholics treated with aversion therapy maintained higher rates of abstinence after 1 year compared to those who received counselling alone.
T: Therefore aversion therapy is more effective than other methods as this research shows the tangible benefits of improving the patient’s chances of maintaining abstinence
C: However, 1 year isn’t long enough to truly confirm abstinence will be kept. According to Pavlov’s theory of classical conditioning, when the CS (alcohol) isn’t paired with the UCS (the shock or antabuse), then the CR (abstinence) becomes extinguished. Therefore after 1 year, patients may relapse which questions how effective it really is.
symptoms not cause
P: treats symptoms and not underlying cause = not effective
E: The Office for Health Improvement & Disparities (OHID) UK reported that in 2022-2023, nearly half receiving treatment had problems with overlapping substance dependencies. 30% of individuals reported alcohol misuse in combination with drug misuse.
T: Therefore this is a weakness as although it may stop once addition, if underlying psychological or biological causes of addiction go untreated then the individual never becomes free of addiction. Rendering aversion therapy as only a temporary solution as the individual will just substitute their addictions with other ones, e.g. drinking becomes gambling
comparison to other methods
P: Aversion therapies like rapid smoking has the advantage of being cost-effective and less time-consuming than cognitive restructuring therapies
E: Rapid smoking typically only one-session long and lasts 30-60 mins, whilst cognitive restructuring therapies may require multiple sessions over several weeks
T: Therefore a strength as it’s suitable for those who don’t have the time or financial resources for prolonged therapy sessions, making it more accessible for patients and more freeing for the therapist due to not requiring long-term involvement.
C: Rapid smoking can be extremely damaging to health, e.g. forcing someone to smoke excessively can cause nausea, dizziness and increased heart rate. Also increases risk of cancer. Given that safer alternatives exist (like the cognitive restructuring in CBT), aversion therapy therefore may not be always an effective choice.
