Psychopathology: Behavioural approach to treating phobias Flashcards
(19 cards)
what is systematic desensitisation?
a behavioural therapy designed to gradually reduce phobic anxiety through principle of classical conditioning
how does systematic desensitisation work?
new response to phobic stimulus learnt (phobic stimulus paired with relaxation instead of anxiety)
called counter conditioning
what are the three processes involved in systematic desensitisation?
anxiety hierarchy put together by client and therapist
relaxation
exposure
what does the anxiety hierarchy include?
includes list of situations related to phobic stimulus that provoke anxiety arranged in order from least to most frightening
what is reciprocal inhibition?
idea that it’s impossible to be afraid and relaxed at the same time so one emotion prevents the other
what does the relaxation process of SD include?
breathing exercises
mental imagery techniques
meditation
imagining relaxing situations
drugs eg valium
what does the exposure process of SD include?
client exposed to phobic stimulus whilst relaxed
takes place over several sessions starting at bottom of anxiety hierarchy
when can a client move up the anxiety hierarchy?
when client can stay relaxed in presence of lower levels of phobic stimulus
when has SD been successful?
when client can stay relaxed in situations high on the hierarchy
what is flooding?
immediate exposure to phobic stimulus
why does flooding work quickly?
because without the option of avoidance behaviour, client quickly learns phobic stimulus is harmless (process called extinction)
what needs to be obtained before flooding can happen?
fully informed consent
how does flooding work?
through extinction
learned response extinguished when conditioned stimulus encountered without unconditioned stimulus
result = conditioned stimulus no longer produces conditioned response (fear)
how many a client achieve relaxation in presence of phobic stimulus by flooding method?
client becomes exhausted by their own fear response
name a strength of SD (hint : Gilroy)
evidence of its effectiveness
Gilroy et al (2003) followed up 42 people who had SD for spider phobia in 3 45m sessions
at 3 and 33 months SD group less fearful than control group treated with just relaxation not exposure
Wechsler et al., 2019 concluded SD effective for specific phobia, social phobia and agoraphobia
means SD likely to benefit people with phobias
name a strength of SD (hint: learning difficulties)
assists people with learning difficulties
people with learning difficulties often struggle with cognitive therapies that require complex rational thought
may feel confused and distressed by trauma of flooding
means SD often most appropriate for those with learning difficulties and phobias
name a limitation of SD
SD in VR
exposure using VR can avoid dangerous situations eg heights
also cost effective
however an advantage of traditional SD is its realism
evidence to suggest real-world exposure more effective than VR exposure for treatment of phobias (Wechsler et al., 2019)
name a strength of flooding
cost effective
therapy is cost effective if it’s clinically effective and not expensive
flooding can work in as little as 1 session as opposed to 10 sessions of SD to achieve same result
means more people can be treated at same cost with flooding than with SD or other therapies
name a limitation of flooding
traumatic, provokes extreme anxiety
schumacher et al.,(2015) found participants and therapists rated flooding as significantly more stressful than SD
raises ethical issue for psychologists of knowingly causing stress to client
traumatic nature of flooding means attrition rates higher than SD
