Phobia treatment

• Systematic desensitisation

  •  a therapy aimed to extinguish an undesirable behaviour, fear, by replacing it with a more desirable one relaxation. This uses the principles of classical conditioning to form new associations, relaxation, with the condioned stimulus 
• steps of systematic desensitisation

  1. Functional analysis
  2. develop anxiety hierarchy
  3. Relaxation training
  4. gradual exposure
• Functional analysis - conversation between therapist and client to identify the nature of anxiety and possible triggers 
• Develop anxiety hierarchy - work with therapist to identify hierarchy of fear from least to most
• Relaxation training - client is taught relaxation techniques that suit them best e.i breathing exercises, meditation, yoga, mindfulness 
• Gradual exposure - work through anxiety hierarchy slowly starting with least feared and only moving on when client feels relaxed in its presence, real or imagined confrontation.
• Reciprocal Desensitisation

  • reciprocal because two are related as relaxation increases anxiety decreases 
  • Inhibition as the new relaxation technique inhibits the anxiety 
• biofeedback shows relaxation: resting breathing and pulse rate
• In systematic desensitisation people are taught to relax muscles, imagine a happy scenario, meditate and try to change their thinking about the phobic object or situation. These ideas focus on reducing anxiety and replacing with a relaxed response 
• flooding is Physically placing client in the situation with their feared object/situation quickly and presented continuously where an escape is not possible 
• Classical conditioning idea is that repeated, constant exposure the client will see as less fear producing. Their body will eventually become calm once they get tired as the body can only be at alarm stage for so long. The person will associate that a calmer response is linked to the object they were phobic about 
• The fear is a biological reaction high glucose levels making the body act on high alert, pulse and breathing rate, once all energy is used up and no more us available the nervous system fear response will eventually be replaced by calm
• implosion is a type of flooding therapy Where person imagines phobic stimulus 

  • Good for treating ptsd
  • Is used when you can’t put a person in the traumatic situation again e.i war, assault 
• SD strengths:

  • Gilroy et al (2003) SD is effective when treating specific phobias. They compared clients receiving SD for spider phobia with a control group. At both 3 months and 33 months, after treatment, the treatment group were less fearful than the control group.
• SD strength:

  • This has been shown to have real life application e.g. Capafons et al (1998) 90% success rate treating a fear of flying using SD.
  • It is Ethical because it is a gradual process that works at the clients pace using their hierarchy.
  • It is supported by research which shows you can learn a response by association eg W&R or Pavlov.
• SD weakness

  • Research which supports Flooding may be used to refute SD

  • It may not last as a treatment and Spontaneous Recovery of the phobia may occur.

  • Lacks real life application for some social phobias and some individuals. E.g. It is not useful for such mental health issues as psychosis (need to be able to relax)
• strengths of flooding

  • Application Ougrin et al found that Flooding is more effective and faster than cognitive therapies.
  • Wolpe (1973) was able to use flooding to help a girl afraid of cars.
  • Supported by research using CC eg W&R or Pavlov.
• weakness of flooding

  • Research which supports SD may be used to refute Flooding
  • Ethics Flooding can be stressful even traumatic, but is quick, as the alarm reaction cannot be maintained for long. This may be better as it is over sooner than SD.
  • Research support is e.g. is mixed Barrett (1969) Used the therapy on college students who had a phobia of snakes. Resulted in many suffering from insomnia.
• weakness of flooding

  • Real life application may be limited as there is evidence of spontaneous recovery of the phobia.
  • Compared with SD the extinction may be less complete, as the new association of ‘calm’ in Flooding is not a strong as ‘relaxation’ brought about by SD. This suggests that flooding may be short-lived in its effectiveness compared with SD which is a weakness