P - the behavioural approach to treating phobias (AO3)

Question 1

What is a strength of systematic desensitisation? - Supportive empirical evidence

Answer 1

===> Gilroy et al (2003) followed up patients who had SD for arachnophobia in three 45 min sessions. At both 3 and 33 months, SD group less fearful than control group. Scientific research shows significant number of patients improved with SD, highlighting efficacy. Increases validity

Question 2

What is a limitation of systematic desensitisation? - Not effective in treating phobias that haven’t developed through learned experience

Answer 2

===> Some people have phobias that haven’t developed through encounter with stimuli, so can’t have been learnt through CC. Evolutionary psychologists believe some phobias have survival benefit so are innate - these can’t be treated with SD

Question 3

What is a strength of systematic desensitisation? - Less stressful than flooding

Answer 3

===> High levels of distress associated with flooding aren’t reached with SD so there are low attrition (drop out) rates. More appropriate for sufferers of severe anxiety disorders. More ethical treatment for some patients

Question 4

What’s a strength of flooding? - As effective as other treatments but more cost-effective

Answer 4

===> Ougrin (2011) compared flooding to cognitive therapies and it’s highly effective and much quicker - patients free of symptoms quicker so less time paid for in treatment. Positive implications for economy and may reduce NHS financial burden. Perhaps should be first type of treatment for patients to overcome phobias

Question 5

What’s a limitation of flooding? - Not appropriate for all patients due to how stressful it is

Answer 5

===> Not unethical as patients give informed consent but intensity can lead to high attrition rates - can make phobia worse if treatment isn’t completed (reinforces stimuli as aversive)

Question 6

What’s a strength of flooding? - Doesn’t consider high level of cognition in some phobias like social ones

Answer 6

===> Sufferer of social phobia doesn’t just experience anxiety response to stimulus but they think unpleasant thoughts about the situation such as “I will be ridiculed”. May be beneficial for more cognitive based phobias to be treated with CBT as this will tackle the irrational thinking. Flooding can’t be applied to all phobias so reduces eficacy