Eval of Systematic Desensitisation

    Cards (6)

    • Effectiveness of Systematic Desensitization (SD) for the treatment of phobias

      • Research shows it is effective in the treatment of specific phobias
      • 75% of clients with phobias responded to SD
      • Key to success is actual contact with the feared stimulus (in vivo exposure is more successful than in vitro)
    • Systematic Desensitization

      • May be more to do with exposure to the feared situation than relaxation
      • Expectation of being able to cope with the feared stimulus is most important
    • The exact reason why systematic desensitization is effective remains unclear
    • Appropriateness of Systematic Desensitization as a treatment for phobias

      • Patients seem to prefer it to flooding because it is less traumatic due to the more gentle step by step approach
      • Low refusal rates and low attrition rates suggest it is an appropriate treatment for many clients with phobias
    • Systematic Desensitization (and other behavioural therapies)

      • Focuses only on symptoms and ignores the causes of abnormal behaviour (according to the psychodynamic model)
      • Can lead to symptom substitution where the problem shows itself in another way through different symptoms
    • Behaviourists reject the criticism of symptom substitution and claim we need not look beyond the behavioural symptoms as the symptoms are the disorder
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