Behavioural approach to treating phobias

• Systematic desensitisation


  Behavioural therapy designed to gradually reduce phobic anxiety through principle of classical conditioning. Where a new response to the phobic stimulus is learned. Counterconditioning.
• Processes involved in systematic desensitisation

  1. anxiety hierarchy
  2. relaxation
  3. exposure
• Systematic desensitisation: Anxiety hierarchy

  • put together by the client and therapist
  • list of situations to the phobic stimulus that provokes anxiety
  • arranged in order from least to most frightening
• Systematic desensitisation: Relaxation

  • teaches client to relax as deeply as possible
  • reciprocal inhibition: relaxation replaces anxiety
  • breathing exercises, mental imagery techniques
• Systematic desensitisation: Exposure

  • Client is exposed to phobic stimulus while in relaxed state
  • takes place across several sessions
  • Goes up the anxiety hierarchy until client can be relaxed while in presence of phobic stimulus
• AO3 systematic desensitisation - Evidence for effectiveness

  Gilroy - followed up 42 people who had SD for spider phobia. The SD control group were less fearful than a control group of were just taught relaxation techniques.
• AO3 systematic desensitisation - Help people with learning disabilities

  People with learning disabilities may struggle with cognitive therapies that require complex thoughts.

  They also may feel confused and distressed when experiencing flooding.

  • SD is the most appropriate treatment
• Flooding


  Involves exposing people with a phobia to their phobic stimulus but without gradual build-up in an anxiety hierarchy. Typically longer than systematic desensitisation.
• How does flooding work?:

  • without the option of avoidance behaviour the client quickly learns the phobic stimulus is harmless = extinction
  • conditioned stimulus + unconditioned stimulus -> conditioned response extinguished
  • client achieves relaxation because they become exhausted by fear response
• Flooding - ethical safeguards:

  • unpleasant experience
  • informed consent important
• AO3 flooding - cost-effective

  Flooding can work as little as one session contrasting the ten sessions of SD. This makes flooding more cost-effective.
• AO3 flooding - highly unpleasant experience

  Confronting a phobic stimulus provokes tremendous anxiety.

  Rated flooding significantly more stressful than SD

  Raises ethical issues for psychologists - knowingly causing stress

  attrition rates are higher