behavioural approach to treating phobias

• systematic desensitisation: uses counterconditioning to replace fear with relaxation, work out a hierachy of phobic situations from least to most frightening. Work through hierachy in a systematic way until patient experiences no anxiety when faced with the most feared scene. in vivo SD - patient gradually exposed to phobic stimulus, in vitro SD - imagining it or using pictures.
• flooding: involves a single exposure to the most feared situations. Patient exposed to actual phobic stimulus or to a virtual reality version all in one session until anxiety disappears. Fear response eventually extinguished as adrenaline levels naturally decrease.
• • supporting evidence SD, Jones - used SD to eradicate 'Little Peter's' phobia of white fluffy objects and animals. Rabbits presented at closer levels and his anxiety subsided. Peter rewarded with food to develop a positive correlation towards rabbit, developed affection for it and similar objects.
• • advantage, unlike drug therapy no side effects, no risk of addiction or dependency.
• • risk of symptom substitution, SD only deals with symptoms and not the root cause , risk that symptoms will resurface possibly in another phobia/ disorder.
• • time consuming
• • in vitro less effective, some individuals lack the ability to imagine the feared situation so might still experience a fear response when they confront the actual object or situation.