The behavioural approach to treating phobias

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Who established systematic desensitisation as a practice for treating phobias?
Wolpe (1958) suggested this technique after he observed that the client's fear of the stimulus leads them to avoid it
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What is counter conditioning?
the patient is taught new associations with the phobic stimulus that run counter to the original association
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How is the patient counter-conditioned?
they are taught new associations with the phobic stimulus such as relaxation rather than fear
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Why did Wolpe (1958) refer to SD as reciprocal inhibition?
because the sensation of relaxation deters anxiety
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Prior to SD begins the therapist teaches the patient relaxation techniques. give some examples of these techniques
getting the patient to focus on their breathing by taking deep slow breaths. also, being mindful of the "here and now" as well as visualising a peaceful scene. Progressive muscle relaxation is also used, where one muscle at a time is relaxed.
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What is the desinstisation hierarchy?
a method of introducing the phobic stimulus to the patient gradually, so not to overwhelm them
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What happens at each staqe of the desensitisation hierarchy?
The patient practices their relaxation techniques, until the situation is familiar and the anxiety diminishes
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How many steps are there to SD?
5
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What is step 1 of SD?
the patient is taught how to relax
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What is step 2 of SD?
the patient and the therapist construct a desensitisation hierarchy. Each scenario designed to be slightly more anxiety inducing than the last
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What is step 3 of SD?
the patient and therapist work their way through the DH, while continuing to pracatice the relaxation techniques taught earlier
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What is step 4 of SD?
once the paitent has mastered one step of the hierarchy thy move to the next
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What is step 5 of SD?
the patient eventually masters the fear situation that caused them to seek therapy
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E1: what evidence is there that SD is successful?
McGrath (1990) reported that 75% of phobia patients respond to SD
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E1: What did Choy (2007) say determined the success rate of SD the most?
in vivo was far more effective than in vitro
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E1: what alternative way of experiencing the stimulus did Comer (2002) develop?
Comer (2002) developed modelling, where the patient witnesses someone else coping with the stimulus
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E2: What did Ohman et al (1975) suggest was a limitation of SD?
it was less effective at treating phobias naturally acquired for evolutionary purposes (such as a fear of heights or dangerous animals) than it was at treating learned phobias
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E3: What is a strength of the behavioural therapies for patents?
Behavioural therapies are relatively fast and require less effort from the patient than CBT
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E3: why are the differences between SD and CBT impoirtant?
the relatively smaller amount of thinking involved in SD means that it is a useful technique for individuals who lack insight into their own motivations and emotions such as children and patients with learning difficulties
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E3: what further advantage does D havoe over other therapies?
Humphrey (1973) found that is could be successfully self administered, unlike CBT where the patient-therapist relationship is pivotal
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What is an alternative therapy to SD?
Flooding
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What is flooding?
the patient is exposed to their phobic stimulus in its worst possible form
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how is flooding conducted?
It takes one session to complete, were the patient is flooded with the phobic stimulus and is encouraged by the therapist to relax using their practised techniques until they cease to be anxious. It usually lasts 2-3 hours
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In which to ways can the phobic stimulus be presented?
it can be presented in vivo or virtual reality
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E4: How do individual differences determine the effectvness of flooding?
because flooding is a traumatic experience, not everybody finishes treatment, and in some cases, inability to finish has worsened the effects of the phobia
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E5: what are the advantages of flooding as a technique?
it is fast compared to CBT. Choy (2007) reported that flooding was marginally more effective treatment of phobias than flooding. Craske (2008) said there was little difference between the two.
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E6: Why might the expectation to deal with the phobia be more important than the relaxation techniques taught for both SD and flooding?
Klein et al (1983) compared SD with psychotherapy for social and specific phobias, findign not difference in effectivness.
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E6: what does kleins (1983) reaserch suggest?
The active ingredient in effective treatment of phobias is the expectations that the phobia can be overcome rather than the relaxation techniques
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E7: why might behavioural techniques fail to treat a phobic disorder?
Because in some cases the phobia is merely symptom substitution for a deeper psychopathology
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E7: How does Freud's (1909) Little Hans horse phobia demonstrate symptom substitution?
after psychoanalasyis of little Hans Freud concluded that the boy was projecting his envy of his father onto the horse. The phobia was only cured when his feelings about his father were as well
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Other cards in this set

Card 2

Front

What is counter conditioning?

Back

the patient is taught new associations with the phobic stimulus that run counter to the original association

Card 3

Front

How is the patient counter-conditioned?

Back

Preview of the front of card 3

Card 4

Front

Why did Wolpe (1958) refer to SD as reciprocal inhibition?

Back

Preview of the front of card 4

Card 5

Front

Prior to SD begins the therapist teaches the patient relaxation techniques. give some examples of these techniques

Back

Preview of the front of card 5
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