Systematic desensitisation is a behavioural therapy designed to reduce phobic anxiety through gradual exposure to the phobic stimulus.
SD relies upon the principle of counterconditioning i.e. learning a new response to the phobic stimulus i.e. one of relaxation rather than panic
SD works due to reciprocal inhibition i.e. it’s impossible to be both relaxed and anxious at the same time.
STEPS OF SYSTEMATIC DESENSITISATION:
Build rapport and develop anxiety hierarchy
Teaching of relaxation techniques e.g. breathing exercises
Work way up the hierarchy, only progressing after having remained calm in the previous level
Phobia is cured when patient is calm at the highest anxiety level
STRENGTH OF SYSTEMATIC DESENSITISATION:
Supporting evidence
Gilroy et al. followed up 42 patients treated in 3 sessions of systematic desensitisation for arachnophobia
Their progress was compared to a control group of 50 patients who learnt only relaxation techniques.
The extent of such phobias was measured using the Spider Questionnaire and through observation.
At both 3 and 33 months, the SD group showed a reduction in their symptoms.
2. STRENGTH OF SYSTEMATIC DESENSITISATION:
Suitable for many people incl. those with learning difficulties
Anxiety disorders are often accompanied with learning disabilities meaning that such patients may not be able to make the full cognitive commitment associated with cognitive behavioural therapy, or have the ability to evaluate their own thoughts.
Therefore, systematic desensitisation would be a particularly suitable alternative for them.
3. STRENGTH OF SYSTEMATIC DESENSITISATION:
More acceptable to patients, as shown by low refusal and attrition rates
This also has economical implications as it increases the likelihood that the patient will agree to start and continue with the therapy, as opposed to getting ‘cold feet’ and wasting the time and effort of the therapist
Flooding is a behavioural therapy designed to reduce phobic anxiety in one session, through immediate exposure to the phobic stimulus.
Flooding occurs in a secure environment from which the patient cannot escape - without the option of practising avoidance behaviour, such behaviour is not reinforced and so the phobia is not maintained.
Flooding relies on the principle that it is physically impossible to maintain a state of heightened anxiety for a prolonged period, meaning tat eventually, the patient will learn that the phobic stimulus is harmless.
STRENGTH OF FLOODING:
Cost-effective
Ougrin compared flooding to cognitive therapies and found it to be cheaper.
This is because the patient’s phobia will typically be cured in one session, thus freeing them of their symptoms and allowing them to continue living a normal life.
WEAKNESS OF FLOODING
Less effective for complex phobias
Social phobias involve both anxiety and a cognitive aspect i.e. thinking unpleasant thoughts about a situation.
Thus, in such cases, cognitive therapy may be more appropriate because this therapy can target the distal causes of the phobia, as opposed to the mere proximal (indirect) causes.
This suggests that alternatives may be more effective.