Discuss behavioural treatments for phobias

Question 1

Outline systematic desensitisation

Answer 1

Based on counterconditioning as the patient is taught a new association that runs counter to original association

Involves relaxation training as client is taught to relax through breathing exercises and muscle control

Through gradual exposure, client is asked to develop fear hierarchy in which the client and therapist agree on stages of exposure to a feared object that is increasingly unpleasant,

E.g. if someone had a fear of spiders, this would range from holding a picture of a cartoon spider to holding a real one.

Client starts at lowest level, learns relaxation techniques and can only move up once completely relaxed. Continues until fear is no longer present.

Client learns to associate the object with relaxation rather than fear (classical conditioning)

Question 2

Outline flooding

Answer 2

Behavioural therapy used to treat phobias and other anxiety disorders.

Involves putting patient in a situation where theyre forced to face phobia immediately rather than gradually.

Involves just one long session with therapist where patient experiences phobia at its worst whilst practicing relaxation techniques. Session continues till patient is fully relaxed.

E.g. person afraid of clowns placed in a room full of them. Therapist encourages patient to use relaxation techniques until anxiety disappears. Session can only end when fully relaxed

Vivo exposure - presenting feared object itself
Vitro exposure - involves imaginary exposure

Question 3

SD strength

Answer 3

More effective than other therapies

As SD is less traumatic than other behavioural therapies (e.g. flooding) as SD utilises gradual exposure and relaxation techniques

This is reflected in lower refusal rate and drop out rates for SD

This suggests that the main features of SD (e.g. gradual exposure) makes it effective treatment for phobias

Question 4

Flooding strength

Answer 4

Has strong supporting research evidence

Wolpe (1973)

Forced an adolescent girl with a fear of cars into the back of a car and drove her around for 4 hours. Her fear reached hysterical heights but then receded and by the end of the journey, had completely disappeared

Suggests that although flooding may be initially distressing for the patient, it is an efffective therapy if the patient remains in treatment

Question 5

General

Answer 5

Weakness is that effectiveness depends on type of phobia

Because behavioural therapies may only be clinically useful for simple or specific phobias

E.g. some psychologists suggest that complex social phobias are caused by irrational thinking and are not caused by negative experiences

So, more complex phobias cannot be treated by behaviourist treatments and may be more responsive to other forms of treatment e.g. CBT which deals with irrational thinking