Behavioural Treatments Of Phobias - Flooding And Systematic Desensitisation Flashcards
Flooding - definition
Flooding is a technique which uses prolonged and immediate exposure to the feared stimulus
Flooding - procedure
The client experiences the phobia at its worst
The person remains until they eventually calm down.
Flooding - explanation
This is linked to the fight/flight response as the release and the effect of adrenaline is temporary, so eventually the parasympathetic system kicks in to restore the body to its non-aroused state.
As the body becomes relaxed, the client learns this new response and a new association with relaxation is created.
Two forms of flooding
In viva - actual exposure
In vitro - imaginary exposure
Relaxation
A patient is taught relaxation techniques and these techniques and these techniques are then applied to the most feared situation either through direct exposure, or imagined exposure.
2-3 hours session.
Who developed systematic desensitisation?
First developed by Wolpe
Systematic desensitisation - aim
This therapy aims to extinguish an undesirable behaviour fear by replacing it with a more desirable one such as relaxation.
What is reciprocal inhibition?
Almost impossible to feel two opposing emotions at the same time.
We cannot fear fear and relaxation at the same time, as the two emotions are not compatible.
If we replace fear with relaxation, we will not be able to feel fear.
How does it work?
Before therapy:
DOG (CS) TO FEAR (CR)
Relaxation techniques to relaxation
During therapy:
DOG (CS) + Relaxation techniques to relaxation
After therapy:
DOG (CS) TO RELAXATION (CR)
Counter conditioning
Replace fear with relaxation response
Desensitisation Hierarchy
Anxiety hierarchy or hierarchy of fear
Steps of systematic desensitisation
1) Build a hierarchy of the anxiety arousing stimuli including the degree of fear experienced from 5 to 100.
2) Train the client in deep muscle relaxation
3) Clients works through the hierarchy while using relaxation techniques
4) Some cases the client will confront real fear
Limitations of behavioural treatment of phobias
P - Symptom substitution
E - Some phobias are a symptom of other issues the person is experiencing. For example, Freud treated a boy’s horse phobia as a representation of his fear/envy of his father
E - SD alone may not be fully suitable to treat certain phobias. Focused on changing the behaviour only, not addressing the underlying causes.
P - Cognitive factors may be more important than relaxation.
E - Klein (1983) compared psychotherapy and behavioural treatments for phobias. They found no difference in effectiveness.
E - Suggests phobias can be treated with talking therapies only, without the need to expose patients to their feared stimulus as psychotherapy and CBT address the irrational thoughts behind the behaviour rather than just the response.
Lim specific to SD:
P: SD is not appropriate to treat all phobias
E: Ohman argued that SD may not be suitable to treat phobias with an evolutionary source.
E: This is because these types of phobias are not acquired through a learning experience. You cannot unlearn or counter condition something that is biological.
Lim specific to flooding:
P - Flooding is not suitable to everyone
E - Requires prolonged exposure to the feared stimulus, which will cause extreme distress to the patient.
E - Could lead to further traumatising the patient and reinforcing the phobia, instead of curing it, and it raises ethical concerns.
