treatments

• What is flooding?

  A prolonged, intense, high-level exposure to the phobic stimulus that prevents avoidance behaviour therefore patients anxiety levels reach optimum anxiety and then decrease when they realise they are not in danger, breaking the association fear (CR) and phobia (CS)
• What are the similarities between flooding and SD?

  • Aim = extinction of fear
  • Both include exposure to phobic stimulus
  • Breaks association of phobia with danger
  • Both long-term treatments
• What are the differences between SD and flooding?

  • F=Instant (increase productivity)/SD=gradual(decrease productivity)
  • F=high intensity/SD=low to high intensity
  • F=less applicable/SD=more applicable(relaxation techniques)
  • F=more unethical
• What is Systematic desensitization (SD)?

  A fear hierarchy that uses gradual exposure to phobic stimulus in different circumstances that increase in intensitya using reverse counter-conditioning to unlearn maladaptive response to situation/object by replacing with another response - relaxation techniques
• Who created the SD fear hierarchy?

  Wolpe
• What is the definition of reciprocal inhibition?

  When two emotional states can't exist at the same time
• What is the definition of In vivo?

  Actual exposure

  e.g, handling phobic stimulus such as snake/spider
• What is the definition of In vitro?

  Imaginary exposure

  e.g, virtual reality (VRET) / imagining
• What are the steps of SD?

  • Teach relaxation techniques
  • The patient creates an individualized fear hierarchy
  • Work way up the hierarchy - pair event with relaxation
  • When one step is mastered only then can they move on to the next
  • Patients will eventually master all situations in hierarchy
• Is time a weakness or strength of systematic desensitization?

  Weakness - gradual exposure to break association of stimulus+fear of up to 12 hours or 6-8 sessions
• Is time a weakness or strength of flooding?

  Strength - quick, completed in 2-3 hours, avoid reinforcement
• Is effectiveness a weakness or strength of flooding?


  Strength - confronts avoidant behaviour, so avoids reinforcement+relapse

  Wolpe: fear of cars = driven around until fear disappears
• Is effectiveness a weakness or systematic desensitization?


  Strength - supporting evidence: Barabasz - lower anxiety levels due to relaxation techniques improve results for those with exam phobia

  COUNTER: often only brings temporary improvement
• Is acceptability a weakness or strength of flooding?


  Weakness - traumatic due to the requirement to reach optimum anxiety levels, complications with heart problems, unethical, full informed consent required
• Is acceptability a weakness or strength of systematic desensitization?


  Strength - idiographic approach = flexible to individual, cannot advance without mastering lower parts of the hierarchy, reduce side effects, relaxation techniques are more ethical
• Is relapse a weakness or strength of flooding?


  Strength - effects often permanent, directly confronts avoidant behavior, and breaks association when realizing they aren't in any danger
• Is relapse a weakness or strength of systematic desensitization?


  Weakness - a slow process so patients often lose motivation to continue therapy and do not break the association of stimulus + fear
• Are side effects a weakness or strength of flooding?


  Weakness - traumatic in the sense of helplessness = affects mental health and a possible worsening of phobia = less reliable in achieving the aim