Ch 9: Biopsychosocial approach to explain specific phobia

anti-anxiety anticipatory anxiety

in relation to specific phobia, worry or apprehension about the possibility of being exposed to a phobic stimulus in the future

avoidance behaviour

in relation to specific phobia, actions that help avert any contact, exposure or engagement with a phobic stimulus

benzodiazepine agent

drugs that work on the central nervous system, acting selectively on GABA receptors in the brain to increase GABA's inhibitory effects and make postsynaptic neurons resistant to excitation

behavioural model

based on the theory that individuals' actions and behaviours are learned

benzodiazepine

a group of drugs that work on the central nervous system, acting selectively on GABA receptors in the brain to increase GABA's inhibitory effects and make postsynaptic neurons resistant to excitation; commonly called sedatives or mild tranquilisers

biological intervention

treatments that target bodily ('biological') mechanisms believed to be contributing to a phobia or its symptoms

biopsychosocial approach

a way of describing and explaining how biological, psychological and social factors combine and interact to influence an individual's behaviour and mental processes, including mental wellbeing

breathing retraining

in relation to specific phobia, an anxiety management technique that involves teaching correct breathing habits; also called breathing training

catastrophic thinking

cognitive bias which involves overestimating, exaggerating or magnifying an event, activity or situation and predicting the worst possible outcome

classical conditioning

a three-phase learning process (before conditioning, during conditioning and after conditioning) that results in the involuntary association between a neutral stimulus and unconditioned stimulus to produce a conditioned response

cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT)

a type of psychotherapy based on the assumption that the way people feel and behave is largely a product of the way they think; aims to identify, assess and correct faulty patterns of thinking that may be affecting mental health and wellbeing

cognitive bias

a mistaken way of thinking that leads to systematic errors of judgment and faulty decision-making

evidence-based intervention

a treatment that has been found to be effective on the basis of scientific evidence

fear hierarchy

a list of feared objects or situations, ranked from least to most anxiety-producing

GABA (gamma-amino butyric acid

the primary inhibitory neurotransmitter in the central nervous system, making postsynaptic neurons less likely to fire

GABA dysfunction

failure to produce, release or receive the correct amount of GABA needed to regulate neurotransmission in the brain

GABA agonist

drugs that stimulate activity at the site of a postsynaptic neuron where GABA is received from a presynaptic neuron

long-term potentiation (LTP)

the long-lasting enhancement of synaptic transmission due to repeated strong stimulation

memory bias

a type of cognitive bias involving distorting influences of present knowledge, beliefs and feelings on the recollection of previous experiences

operant conditioning

a learning process whereby the consequences of a behaviour (e.g reward or punishment) determine the likelihood that it will be performed again in the future

perpetuation (of a phobia)

strengthening or maintaining a phobia through particular behaviour (such as avoidance)

phobic stimulus

a specific object, activity or situation that causes a phobic reaction (such as spiders)

precipitation (of a phobia)

development of a phobia through particular behaviour or circumstance

psychoeducation

the provision and explanation of information to individuals about a mental health disorder to assist their understanding of its characteristics and treatment

psychological intervention

treatments for phobias involving the use of cognitive behavioural therapy and systematic desensitisation

psychotherapeutic treatment

treating mental health problems by talking with a psychiatrist, psychologist or other mental health worker

safety behaviour

behaviour used by people with phobias to help minimise or control their fear or anxiety whereby they may not directly avoid a phobic stimulus but are willing to have contact with it if certain precautions are in place

self-stigma

when an individual accepts the negative views and reactions of others, internalises them, and applies them to themselves

social intervention

treatment for a specific phobia that may involve a social intervention such as psychoeducation for family, friends or others who are close to the person with a specific phobia and therefore part of their social support network

social stigma

the negative attitudes and beliefs held in the wider community that lead people to fear, exclude, avoid or unfairly discriminate against people with a disorder

specific environmental trigger

developing a specific phobia after a direct negative experience with an object or situation

specific phobia

an anxiety disorder characterised by marked and persistent fear about a specific object, activity or situation, typically avoided or endured with marked anxiety or distress

systematic desensitisation

a behaviour therapy for treatment of specific phobia that aims to replace an anxiety response with relaxation when an individual encounters a fear-inducing, phobic stimulus

biological factors

internal, genetic, and/or physiologically based factors

psychological factors

internal factors relating to an individual's mental processes, including their cognition, affect, thoughts, beliefs, and attitudes

social factors

external factors relating to an individual's interactions with others and their external environment, including their relationships and community involvement