aversion therapy - evaluation

• EFFECTIVENESS - research evidence to support (Antabuse)

  Neiderhoffen + Staffen (03) - compare antabuse and placebo

  antabuse group - longer periods of abstinence than control

  use of antabuse to provide unpleasant stimulus > effective at treating serious addictions

  however AT may - more effective when used with other 'talking' therapies
• EFFECTIVENESS - research evidence to support use of rapid smoking

  McRobbie (07) RS condition - significant decrease in urge to smoke in 24 hours and all week after treatment than control > anti-smoking video

  rapid smoking = effective unpleasant stimuli to break smoking addiction

  4 weeks later - no significant differences in amount of smoking between groups > may only have short-term benefits
• EFFECTIVENESS - only treats symptoms, not cause

  negative association may only treat how individual feels towards focus of addiction > doesn't treat underlying cause

  therapy may appear to successfully cure addiction > underlying problem may reoccur in form of a different addiction / undesirable behaviour - symptom substitution
• ETHICS - methods that create negative association = risk of harm

  antabuse - negative and serious side effects when mixed with alcohol (e.g. convulsions and heart failure)

  rapid smoking - unpleasant, risks to health

  AT - unethical compared to alternative treatments for addiction

  risks justified by risks posed by addiction > without successful treatment > addicts more likely to experience risks of harm to physical and psychological health
• ETHICS - ethical costs justified by long term benefits

  breaking serious addiction > benefits > health, finances and relationships

  benefits outweigh potential risks > AT - ethical approach to therapy

  those using AT - given valid consent to take part in therapeutic methods involved
• ETHICS - more ethical forms of negative stimuli have been developed

  covert sensitisation - imagine scenario involving/engaging in addictive behaviour

  - imagine scenarios that get progressively worse

  Kraft (05) - not only effective but far more ethical > avoids unpleasant reactions to substances/stimuli