Evaluation of SD

• what are the 3 strengths of SD, briefly?

  • Evidence it works
  • suitable for manty patients
  • less trauma involved than other treatments
• give one strength of SD?

  EVIDENCE IT WORKS

  • research has found that patients who were treated dfor a spider phobias by having 3x45min sessions of SD felt lower levels of anxiety at both 3 and 33 months after the treatment (phobia tested using questionnaires )
  • effective in reducing phobias and LONG LASTING
• give onee strength of SD?

  SUITABLE FOR MANY PATIENTS:

  • eg some cognitive therapies aren't suitable for patients with learning difficulties as they require an understanding of what is happening during the therapy
  • eg reflecting on thought processes which is hard for some
• give a strength of SD?

  LESS TRAUMA INVOLVED THAN OTHER TREATMENTS (eg flooding)

  so patients prefer it (and relaxing is pleasant)

  this has led to lower refusal / attrition rates
• what is SD thought to work best for?

  simple phobias
• give 3 limitations of SD?


  • Hard to treat phobias where exposure to stimulus is difficult to achieve in a clinical setting
  • ethical considerations
  • in-vivo treatment works better than covert desensitisation
• what are the limitations of ethical considerations of SD?

  Ethical considerations - can be psychologically harmful