Systematic Desensitisation

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    Study Psychology

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    • McGrath et al. (1990) found that 75% of patients with phobias were successfully treated using systematic desensitisation.
    • Gilroy et al (2002) who examined 42 patients with arachnophobia (fear of spiders), found SD effective even 33 months later.
    • Systematic desensitisation is not effective in treating all phobias, like the fear of heights.
    • SD is very patient-centred making it more ethical.
    • Wechsler et al (2019) concluded that SD is effective for specific phobia, social phobia and agoraphobia.
    • SD can have positive effects with people with learning difficulties, as they struggle with cognitive therapies.
    • Virtual reality can be used in SD so people do not need to leave the therapy room.
    • Virtual reality can also be more cost effective in SD.
    • Systematic desensitisation is often thought to be more successful than flooding as the patient is in control of their progress, not the therapist.