A03

• Systematic desensitisation (+)


  = people with learning disabilities

  • Alternatives to SD aren’t suitable as people with learning difficulties struggle with cognitive therapies that require rational thought.
  • Also get distressed by flooding
• Systematic desensitisation (+-) 


  = SD in virtual reality

  • traditional SD involves exposure to the phobic stimulus in a real world setting.
  • there are positives in conducting SD in VR as can avoid dangerous situations and it is cost effective
  • however less effective as lacks realism
• Flooding (+)

  = cost effective

  • clinical effectiveness means how effective a therapy is at tackling a symptom
  • also when we provide therapies in health systems we need to think how much they cost
  • flooding can work in as little as 1 session as opposed to 10 in SD
• flooding (-)


  = traumatic

  • participants and therapists rate flooding as stressful
  • raises ethical issues, regardless if consent is obtained
  • attrition rates are higher too