Lesson 7 - Behavioural Approach To Treating Phobias

Question 1

Systematic desensitisation

Answer 1

• Developed by Wolpe (1958)
• The central idea is that you annoy feel fear and relaxation the same time (reciprocal inhibition)
• It involves the patient and therapist devising a hierarchy of fear around the phobic object. It can start with a relatively low intensity activity about their object, all the way up to direct exposure.
• They are taught deep muscle relaxation techniques
• They can only move onto the next activity when they are entirely comfortable with the current one

Question 2

Jones (1924)

Answer 2

• Supports SD
• He experimented on “Little Peter” and his fear of white rabbits. He was exposed to it and gradually closer distances until his fear and anxiety was gone.
• This new affection was generalised for all white, fluffy objects

Question 3

Klosko et al (1990)

Answer 3

• Supports SD
• 87% panic free after SD
• 50% after medication
• 36% after a placebo
• 33% after no treatment
• Shows that SD is more effective than other treatments

Question 4

Strengths of SD

Answer 4

Less traumatic than other forms of treatment like flooding

Question 5

Weaknesses of SD

Answer 5

• Not always practical to arrange
• Can be expensive and can take a while
• Can result in symptom substitution as it does not combat the root cause of phobias.
• if done virtually (imagination) the patient could easily be lying or faking

Question 6

Ost (1997)

Answer 6

• Supports flooding
• States it is an effective and rapid treatment and can deliver immediate improvements. Especially if exposure is carried out outside of therapy time.

Question 7

Strengths of flooding

Answer 7

• Cheaper than SD and much quicker, only takes a few hours

Question 8

Weaknesses of flooding

Answer 8

• Less effective at curing social phobias
• can be highly traumatic, and can result in the patient not wanting to continue, and it being a waste of time and money