Behavioural approach to treating phobias A03

• Evaluation of Behavioural Approach into treating phobias A03

  Systematic Desensitisation:

  • +Research Supporting that SD effective (Gilroy et al 2003)
  • -Ignores many other factors which have contributed to phobia
  • +Suitable for a diverse range of patients
  • +SD tends to be more acceptable to patients
  • -more appropriate for some phobias than others

  Flooding

  • +Research Supporting that flooding effective (Ougrin 2011)
  • +Cost effective
  • -Less effective on some types of phobias
  • -Symptom Substitution
  • -Traumatic & unpleasant
• Strength of SD is that it is effective - BAtTP A03


  P: Research shows SD is effective in treatment of specific phobias.

  E: Gilroy et al (2003) followed up 42 patients who had SD for spider phobia in three 45 minute sessions. Spider phobia assessed using questionnaire & participants response to actual spider. Control group treated using relaxation without exposure.

  E: At 3 & 33 months after treatment SD group were less fearful than relaxation group treated without exposure.

  L: This is strength coz shows SD is helpful in reducing the anxiety in spider phobia and the effects are long lasting.
• SD ignores other factors that contribute towards the phobia - BAtTP A03


  P: Once problem with SD is that it ignores many other potential factors which may have contributed towards the phobia - cognitive genetic factors.

  E: For example, cognitive factors like irrational belief and distortions of the phobic object are not addressed in this kind of therapy

  E: Cognitive therapies can help with complex thoughts, but what about genetics?

  L: Therefore, potential factors like genetic factor are ignored.
• SD suitable for a diverse range of patients - BAtTPA03


  P: The alternatives to SD such as flooding and cognitive therapies are not well suited to some patients.

  E: For example, having learning difficulties can make it very hard for some patients to understand what is happening during flooding or to engage with cognitive therapies which require reflection

  L: For these patients, SD is probably the most appropriate treatment
• SD tends to be more acceptable to patients - BAtTP A03


  P: A strength of SD is that patients prefer it, Those given the choice of SD or flooding tend to prefer SD

  E: This is because it does not cause the same degree of trauma as flooding. It may also be because SD includes some elements that are actually pleasant like talking with a therapist.

  L: This is reflected in the low refusal rates (number of patients refusing to start treatment) and low attrition rates (number of patients dropping out of treatment) for SD
• One problem with SD is that it is more appropriate for some phobias than others - BAtTP A03


  P: One problem with SD is that it is more appropriate for some phobias than others.

  E: SD is better for simpler phobias (like arachnophobia) rather than more complex ones like social phobia.

  E: This because i would be more practically difficult to gradually expose people to different levels of social interaction.

  KL some phobias more effectively explained/treated than others.
• Flooding is effective - BAtTP A03

  P: Flooding is as effective as other treatments for specific phobias.

  E: Studies comparing flooding to cognitive therapies (Ougrin 2011) have found that flooding is hugely effective and quicker than alternatives

  L: This quick effect is a strength because it means that patients are free of their symptoms as soon as possible and that make the treatment cheaper.
• Traumatic flooding - BAtTP

  P: Perhaps the most serious issue with the use of flooding is the fact that it is a highly traumatic experience.

  E: The problem is not that flooding is unethical (patients do give informed consent) but that patients are often unwilling to to see it through to the end

  L: This is a limitation because ultimately it means that the treatment is not effective and time and money are wasted preparing patients only to have them refuse to start or complete treatment.
• Flooding less effective to some types of phobias - BAtTP A03


  p: Although flooding is highly effective for treating simple phobias, it appears to be less so for more complex phobias like social phobias.

  E: This may be because social phobias have cognitive aspects e.g. a sufferer of social phobias does not simply experience anxiety but think unpleasant thoughts about the social situation

  L: This type of phobias may benefit more from cognitive therapies because such therapies tackle the irrational thinking
• Flooding & Symptom Substitution:


  Symptom Substitution:

  • When one phobia disappears another takes it place. Evidence for this mixed but behavioural therapists tend not to believe it happens at all

  Flooding can also mask symptoms not tackling the underlying cause of the phobia