phobias - treat

• what are the 2 treatment options?

  1. systematic desensitisation
  2. flooding
• how does systematic desensitisation work?

  client gradually exposed to threatening situation under relaxed conditions
• outline the method of systematic desensitisation

  1. patient taught how to relax muscles
  2. therapist and patient constructs desensitisation hierarchy
  3. visualise anxiety-evoking events whilst completing relaxation response
• explain the desensitisation hierarchy

  patient taught a new associate that counters original one

  • used through classical conditioning
  • reciprocal inhibition is response to relaxation
• explain how relaxation works

  therapist teaches patient relaxation techniques

  • focus on slow and deep breaths
  • focus on particular objects or visualising peaceful scenes
  • progressive muscle relaxation
• how does flooding work?

  client is exposed to extreme form of threatening situation under relaxed conditions
• outline the method for flooding

  1. patient taught how to relax muscles
  2. patients master feared situation in one long session
• explain flooding in practice

  can be done in vivo or virtual reality (2 to 3 hours)

  • adrenaline decreases so new stimulus response can be learned between fear and relaxation
• one weakness of systematic desensitisation to treat phobias

  not appropriate

  • Ohman - not effective with underlying survival phobias
  • ineffective with personal experience phobias
  • oversimplified
• one strength of systematic desensitisation to treat phobias

  effective

  • McGrath - 75% respond to systematic desensitisation
  • in vivo techniques are most effective
  • high internal validity
• second strength of systematic desensitisation to treat phobias

  fast and effortless

  • lack of "thinking" so useful for those with learning difficulties
  • can be self-administered
  • cheap and easy
• one strength of flooding to treat phobias

  effective

  • Choy - most effective method
  • Craske - equally effective method
  • quick treatment
• one weakness of flooding to treat phobias

  individual differences

  • highly traumatic procedure
  • high attrition rate
  • reduces effectiveness