Phobias: treatments - systematic desensitisation

Question 1

What is systematic desensitisation?

Answer 1

A behavioural therapy technique used to treat phobias by gradually exposing individuals to feared stimuli while simultaneously practicing relaxation techniques.

Question 2

What is the desensitisation hierarchy?

Answer 2

A structured list of feared situations or objects ranked from least to most anxiety provoking, used in SD therapy to gradually confront and reduce fear.

Question 3

What is reciprocal inhibition?

Answer 3

Refers to the principle that anxiety and relaxation cannot be experienced simultaneously.

Question 4

What principle does SD work on?

Answer 4

Classical conditioning - counter conditioning through replacing learned associations with new ones that are functional rather than maladaptive

Question 5

Evaluate SD (effectiveness)

Answer 5

Denholtz (1978) found that 60% of patients with a flying phobia were still flying 3 years later.

Question 6

Evaluate SD (may not be effective)

Answer 6

Ohman (1975) - SD may not be effective in treating evolutionary based phobias compared to those generated through experience.

Question 7

Evaluate SD (responsiveness)

Answer 7

McGrath (1990) - 75% of patients respond to SD, especially if they have had contact with the fear.