ANXIETY ost (1992)

Question 1

aim

Answer 1

compare people w blood injection phobias in terms of cognitive bio and behavioural variables in order to determine whether these phobias should be separated into blood phobia and injection phobia or similar enough to be one itself

Question 2

methodology SELF REPORT DATA

Answer 2

interviews and ques w 81 people w blood phobia and 59 people w injection phobia
gather data about origin, age of onset, family history, age of start treatment, history of fainting in feared sitch

data from another study of claustrobhobia and animal and dental phobias ost 1987 used for comparison

ps had to picture themselves in anxiety arousing situations and rate tje severity of 11 bio and 10 cog reactions on a scale of 0 no reaction to 4 very strong reaction

Question 3

methodology behavioural tests

Answer 3

blood phobics watched colour video of thoracic surgery

injection phobics had a finger prick blood test

ps can withdraw at any point

time taken b4 withdrawal noted

fainting rated on scale of 0-4

ps self reported anxiety on scale of 0-10

indicated which of 5 pos and neg thoughts they experienced

heart rate and bp recorded b4 and after tests

Question 4

results data

Answer 4

met criteria for both phobia diagnosis:
blood phobis 69%
injection 31%

shared w fam the phobia:
blood phobics 61%
injection 29%

feared fainting when exposed to source of phobia:
blood 77%
injection 48%

Question 5

questionnaire and interview results

Answer 5

people w blood phobia more likely to meet for injection
than other way around

blood phobics more likely to have first degree relative also have it

blood phobics more fearful also

injection phobics only had higher avg score than blood phobics for two of the eleven biological reactions

Question 6

results behavioural tests

Answer 6

injection phobics had higher heart rates and blood pressure than blood phobics at the point of withdrawal

blood phobics small decreases heart rate and bp

both groups withdrew approx one third of the way thru the tests and experienced similar levels of anxiety

fainting was much more common in blood phobic group

Question 7

conclusions

Answer 7

more sim than diff between blood and injection phobias

shldnt bee separated

blood more stronger genetic componenet
bio reactions more severe

non blood injection injaory phobias compared the injection one more common shared w first degree relatives
more likely fainting

Question 8

strength validity

Answer 8

initial diagnosis checked before further testing
following an interview using anxiety disorder interview schedule
seven people were deselected as they did not meet DSM 3 criteria for specific phobia
this is a strength as relying on secondary data can mean results may not be valid
SO THIS IS VALID #VALIDITY

Question 9

strength objective data

Answer 9

use of behavioural tests which provided objective data
observation rather than j self report
bc memory can be unreliable

Question 10

weakness lack ecological validity

Answer 10

ps w blood phobia watched vid on operation
not the same as being confronted with ones own blood or of close friend/family
so num of people who fainted and amt of time they endured feared stimuli mauy be diff in irl

Question 11

weakness data abt first degree relatives not valid

Answer 11

self report
relatives not tracked down and assessed properly
so data maybe not accurate