Ethical issues

• Evaluation - Ethical issues

  1. Anxiety controlled
  2. Able to prove valid consent
• Ethical issues - Anxiety controlled

  • Considered more ethical than other behavioural therapies such as 'flooding techniques'
  • In SD each step is conducted slowly + at a pace dictated by the client - so the therapist can gauge whether the client is fully relaxed at each stage
  • The therapist must only attempt to move up the hierarchy when the client is comfortable - anxiety should not be an issue
• Ethical issues - Able to provide valid consent

  • SD is mainly used with phobias + not other problems such as depression + schizophrenia - the client is 'healthy' enough to be in the right frame of mind to understand the therapy - valid consent
  • The client also attends therapy at their own free will + can withdraw at any point