Behavioural treatments for phobias

Question 1

What are therapies based on

Answer 1

Classical and operant conditioning aiming to change specific behaviours

Question 2

Behavioural therapy assumes

Answer 2

1. phobias can be learnt by classical conditioning
2. Phobias can be unlearned with a similar process
   This can be through counter conditioning- learning a new response to replace the feared stimulus

Question 3

Systematic desensitisation

Answer 3

1. Clients taught relaxation techniques
2. Client constructs a fear hierarchy
3. Therapist and client confront each item in the hierarchy in a state of deep relaxation and can’t move on until they are unafraid in its presence.

Question 4

Result of systematic desensitisation

Answer 4

clients have learned not to fear the object.

Question 5

Strengths of systematic desensitisation

Answer 5

Gilroy found success in 42 pps- less fearful than control with arachnophobia
Capafons et al found in individuals with aerophobia they had lower fear than a control group

Question 6

Limitations of SD

Answer 6

Symptom substitution may occur- the phobia could be substituted onto another object so counter-condition hasn’t worked.

Question 7

What is flooding

Answer 7

directly exposes clients to the feared situation repeatedly to show there is no basis for their fear leading to extinction

Question 8

Strengths of flooding

Answer 8

People with specific phobia can lose their fear after only 3 sessions of flooring (Marks)
It is cost effective as can often be treated in one session

Question 9

Limitations of flooding

Answer 9

Ethically dubious, discomfort and no clear right to withdraw, you need to get full consent which can be harder for children. It has a high drop out rate for thsi reason.