Psychopathology: Behavioural treatment of phobias

Question 1

What are the 2 behaviourist treatments of phobias??

Answer 1

• Systematic desensitisation
• Flooding

Question 2

What’s systematic desensitisation??

Answer 2

Uses counterconditioning to unlearnt he maladaptive response to the phobic stimulus by replacing it with another response (relxation)

Question 3

What are the 3 components of systematic desensitisation??

Answer 3

• Fear hierarchy
• Relaxation training
• Exposure

Question 4

What’s the fear hierarchy??

Answer 4

Patient & therapist work together to rank different situations involving the phobic stimulus with how much fear they induce

Question 5

What’s relaxation training??

Answer 5

Patient is taught different relaxation techniques like breathing techniques and muscle relaxation.
This is sometimes also done with relaxation drugs like Valium

Question 6

What’s exposure as a component of systematic desensitisation??

Answer 6

Patient exposed to phobic stimulus in a relaxed state. They start at the bottom of the fear hierarchy and work their way up.

They will stay at one stage of the hierarchy until they can remain relaxed in that situation.

Question 7

What’s flooding??

Answer 7

More extreme behavioural therapy.
When the person is immediately exposed to the most fearful situation involving the phobic stimulus.

Person will remain in the situation until reaching a natural state of relaxation.

Question 8

What are the 2 forms of flooding??

Answer 8

• In vivo (real exposure)
• In vitro (imaginary exposure)

Question 9

What are the 3 evaluation points for the behavioural treatment of phobias??

Answer 9

• Systematic desensitisation is effective
• Flooding is traumatic
• Flooding is cheap

Question 10

Why is flooding traumatic?? (AO3)

Answer 10

it is immediate exposure to the phobic stimulus which can be traumatising. It is ethical (patients gave informed consent) but many don’t want to see it through to the end.

Question 11

Why is systematic desensitisation effective??

Answer 11

Gilroy et al (2003):
Followed up on 42 patients treated for arachnophobia in 3 45-minute sessions of systematic desensitisation.
- Phobias was assessed with a spider questionnaire and response to a spider
- Control group was treated with relaxation without exposure

Findings: At 3 months and 33 months after treatment, SD group were less fearful than control

Question 12

Why is flooding cheaper?? (AO3)

Answer 12

It works faster than other treatments meaning it requires less sessions and is therefore cheaper.