Behaviourist approach to treating phobias

• What is the aim of systematic desensitisation?

  To reduce phobic anxiety through counterconditioning
• What are the three main stages of systematic desensitisation?

  1. Anxiety hierarchy
  2. Relaxation training
  3. Gradual exposure through the hierarchy
• What is an anxiety hierarchy?

  A list of situations from least to most anxiety-provoking
• How does relaxation work in systematic desensitisation?

  Patients learn techniques to stay calm during exposure
• What is reciprocal inhibition in systematic desensitisation?

  Relaxation inhibits anxiety simultaneously
• What is flooding in therapy?

  Exposure to phobic stimulus without gradual build-up
• How does flooding work?

  It forces confrontation of fear until anxiety decreases
• What is extinction in flooding?

  Conditioned stimulus presented without unconditioned stimulus
• What is a major ethical consideration with flooding?

  It can cause severe distress and trauma
• What is one strength of systematic desensitisation?

  It is suitable for a wide range of patients
• What is one strength of flooding?

  It is cost-effective and quicker than other treatments
• What is a limitation of flooding?

  It may not be effective for all types of phobia
• Flooding is a cost-effective treatment for phobias because it often requires fewer sessions than other therapeutic approaches, such as systematic desensitisation. Research has shown that flooding can achieve results in a single, prolonged session, whereas other therapies may require multiple sessions over weeks or months. This reduction in the number of sessions means that patients and healthcare providers can save time and money. For example, a study by Craske et al. (2008) found that flooding significantly reduced anxiety in phobic individuals after a single session, making it a more efficient option compared to other treatments. The cost-effectiveness of flooding is particularly beneficial in public healthcare settings, where resources are limited, and in situations where quick results are desired.
• Why is flooding considered a cost-effective treatment for phobias?

  It requires fewer sessions than other treatments
• How does flooding compare to systematic desensitisation in terms of cost-effectiveness?

  Flooding achieves results in fewer sessions
• What did the study by Craske et al. (2008) find about flooding?

  It significantly reduced anxiety after a single session
• How is the cost-effectiveness of flooding beneficial in healthcare systems?

  It allows for quicker results with fewer sessions
• Flooding can be seen as unethical because it involves exposing people to their biggest fears all at once, which can be traumatic and cause significant distress. For example, someone afraid of spiders might panic when exposed to one crawling on them. This can lead to long-term anxiety. However, a counterpoint is that participants give full informed consent before the therapy, meaning they understand the risks and agree to the process. This helps address ethical concerns, as they are aware of what to expect. Additionally, therapists are trained to manage the distress, making the process safer. Therefore, while flooding can be distressing, it is more ethical when informed consent is given.
• What is a criticism of flooding?

  Unethical because it exposes participants to their greatest fears all at once, which can be traumatic and cause distress.
• How can informed consent address ethical concerns in flooding?

  Particiapnts give full informed consent before flooding, meaning they are aware of risks and agree to the process.
• A strength of systematic desensitisation (SD) is the supporting evidence from Gilroy et al. (2003). In their study, 42 participants with a fear of flying were treated using SD, and the results showed that those in the SD group had significantly lower levels of fear and anxiety when tested three and 33 months after treatment, compared to a control group that did not receive SD. This demonstrates the long-lasting effectiveness of SD in reducing phobic anxiety. The study highlights SD as a reliable and enduring treatment for phobias, suggesting its continued applicability in therapy for those suffering from specific phobias.
• What did Gilroy et al study?

  the effectiveness of systematic desensitisation in treating individuals with a fear of flying.
• What were the results of Gilroy's study?

  participants in the SD group had significantly lower levels of fear and anxiety about flying, even 33 months after treatment
• What does Gilroy's study suggest about systematic desensitisation?

  SD is an effective and long-lasting treatment for phobias
• A limitation of systematic desensitisation (SD) is that it may not be effective for all types of phobias, particularly those that are more complex. For example, it has been found that SD is most effective for treating specific phobias, such as fear of animals or flying, but less effective for treating complex phobias like social anxiety or agoraphobia. These phobias often involve multiple underlying factors, including cognitive and social elements, which may not be fully addressed through the gradual exposure technique used in SD. This limits the generalisability and overall effectiveness of SD for treating a broader range of psychological disorders, reducing its applicability for some patients.
• What is a limitation of systematic desensitisation?

  It may not be effective at treating more complex phobias like social anxiety or agoraphobia
• Why is systematic desensitisation less effective for complex phobias?

  Complex phobias have cognitive and social factors. SD only addresses behavioural.