THE. BEHAVIOURAL APPROACH TO TREATING PHOBIAS

SYSTEMATIC DESENSITISATION

• developed by wolpe

• Behavioural treatment

3 STAGES OF SYSTEMATIC DESENSITISATION

1. Client and therapist make anxiety hierarchy - list of sistations from least to most scary

2. Relaxation techniques patient taught relaxation techniques e.g. breathing exercises

3. Exposure - client would then be exposed to the lowest level of the hierarchy

FLOODING

Exposed immediately to the phobia - flooding body with the fear; extinction

SYSTEMATIC DESENSITISATION STRENGTH

Suitable for a range of patients

One strength of systematic desensitisation is that it is suitable for a diverse range of patients. Flooding and cognitive therapies are not well suited to some patients. For example, some sufferers of anxiety disorders like phobias also have learning difficulties. Learning difficulties can make it very hard for some patients to understand what is happening during flooding or to engage with cognitive therapies that require the ability to reflect on what you are thinking. This is a strength because it demonstrates systematic desensitisation is a more appropriate treatment in these situations.

SUSTEMATIC DESENSITISATION STRENGTH

Research evidence

There is evidence it is effective.

Gilroy et al (2003)

found 42 patients treated with SD, followed up at 3 months and 33 months were less fearful of spiders than the control group treated with relaxation alone, showing SD is helpful in reducing anxiety in spider phobia, and also that the effects are long lasting.

SYSTEMATIC DESENSITISATION STRENGTH

②

Less traumatic: It is acceptable to patients:

One strength of systematic desensitisation is that patients prefer it. Those given the choice of systematic desensitisation or flooding tend to prefer systematic desensitisation. This is largely/ because it does not cause the same degree of trauma as flooding. It may also be because systematic desensitisation includes some elements like relaxation techniques that are actually pleasant! This is a strength because there are lower refusal rates (number of patients refusing to start treatment and lower attrition rates (number of patients dropping out) for systematic desensitisation.

FLOODING STRENGTH

Cost-Effective

it

Flooding is considered cost-effective to many other alternatives for specific phobias. This is because evidence has emphasised that flooding is a highly effective and quick method for treating phobias. This is a strength because the quick effects might make it more appealing to sufferers and it is cheaper and more beneficial for health providers who do not have to fund longer options.

WEAKNESS FLOODING

Traumatic

One weakness of flooding is that it is traumatic for patients. The problem is not that flooding is unethical, (patients give consent) but that patients are often. unwilling to see it to the end. One limitation of the use of flooding is that the fact that the treatment is a highly traumatic experience, many are very distressed by the huge exposure to their phobic stimulus and may not see the treatment through to the end, limiting its effectiveness and meaning it may not be a cost-effective Options

FLOODING WEAKNESS