4.3.1 Systematic Desensitisation

• Phobias are irrational and excessive fears of particular objects, situations, or activities
• What do phobias trigger when exposed to the phobic stimulus?

  Anxiety and fear
• Systematic desensitisation aims to reduce anxiety responses to phobic stimuli.
• Steps of systematic desensitisation

  1️⃣ Relaxation training

  2️⃣ Anxiety hierarchy

  3️⃣ Gradual exposure
• What is the acquisition phase in classical conditioning?

  Association is formed
• Generalization in classical conditioning refers to responding similarly to related stimuli
• What is a conditioned stimulus in classical conditioning?

  Object of fear
• Systematic desensitisation involves creating an anxiety hierarchy of feared stimuli.
• Match the classical conditioning principle with its description:

  Acquisition ↔️ Association is formed

  Generalization ↔️ Responding to related stimuli

  Extinction ↔️ Fear response weakens
• Phases of systematic desensitisation in order

  1️⃣ Relaxation training

  2️⃣ Anxiety hierarchy

  3️⃣ Gradual exposure
• Systematic desensitisation helps break the association between the phobic stimulus and the anxiety
• What is the purpose of relaxation training in systematic desensitisation?

  Reduce anxiety
• What is the primary goal of Systematic Desensitisation as a behavioral therapy?

  Reduce anxiety responses
• Steps involved in Systematic Desensitisation

  1️⃣ Relaxation Training

  2️⃣ Anxiety Hierarchy

  3️⃣ Gradual Exposure
• Systematic Desensitisation reduces anxiety responses by gradual exposure in a controlled environment
• What is an example of a technique used in relaxation training?

  Deep breathing exercises
• Example of an anxiety hierarchy for a fear of spiders

  1️⃣ Seeing a picture of a spider

  2️⃣ Viewing a caged spider

  3️⃣ Holding a spider
• Systematic Desensitisation aims to break the association between phobic stimuli and anxiety.
• How many key steps are involved in Systematic Desensitisation?

  Three
• Match each step of Systematic Desensitisation with its purpose:

  Relaxation Training ↔️ Reduce anxiety

  Anxiety Hierarchy ↔️ Create a list of feared stimuli

  Gradual Exposure ↔️ Experience stimuli while relaxed
• Creating a list of feared stimuli is part of the anxiety hierarchy step.
• Gradual exposure involves progressively experiencing feared stimuli while using relaxation techniques.
• What is an example of a phobia-specific hierarchy for a fear of spiders?

  Looking at pictures of spiders
• What are the three main categories of phobias?

  Specific, Social, Agoraphobia
• Match each phobia type with an example:

  Specific Phobia ↔️ Fear of spiders

  Social Anxiety Disorder ↔️ Fear of public speaking

  Agoraphobia ↔️ Fear of open spaces
• Phobias trigger high levels of anxiety and fear when exposed to the phobic stimulus.
• What is the goal of relaxation training in Systematic Desensitisation?

  Reduce anxiety
• Principles of classical conditioning in phobias

  1️⃣ Acquisition

  2️⃣ Generalization

  3️⃣ Discrimination

  4️⃣ Extinction
• What is the conditioned stimulus in classical conditioning related to phobias?

  Object of fear
• What is an example of a conditioned stimulus in a phobia involving dogs?

  Dogs
• What is Systematic Desensitisation designed to reduce?

  Anxiety responses
• Deep breathing exercises are used in Systematic Desensitisation as part of relaxation
• Relaxation training involves learning techniques to reduce anxiety.
• What is the purpose of creating an anxiety hierarchy in Systematic Desensitisation?

  Rank feared stimuli
• Steps of Systematic Desensitisation

  1️⃣ Relaxation Training

  2️⃣ Anxiety Hierarchy

  3️⃣ Gradual Exposure
• During gradual exposure, patients progressively experience stimuli while using relaxation techniques
• Relaxation training helps reduce anxiety.
• For a fear of spiders, what might be the first step in the anxiety hierarchy?

  Looking at pictures
• In gradual exposure, the goal is to experience stimuli until anxiety subsides
• What is the overall goal of Systematic Desensitisation?

  Reduce fear