The behavioural approach to treating phobias

Systematic desensitisation

it is a behavioural therapy designed to gradually reduce phobic anxiety through classical conditioning, if a person can learn to relax in the presence of the phobic stimulus they will be cured. This learning of a different response is called counterconditioning.

The anxiety hierarchy

Put together by a client with a phobia and therapist. This is a lost of situations related to the phobic stimulus that provoke anxiety arranged in order from least to most frightening.

relaxation

The therapist teaches the client to relax as deeply as possible. It is impossible to be afraid and relaxed at the same time, so one emotion prevents the other. This is Called reciprocal inhibition. The relaxing could involve breathing exercises.

exposure

Finally the client is exposed to the phobic stimulus while in a relaxed state. This takes place across several sessions, starting at the bottoms of the anxiety hierarchy. When the client can stay relaxed in the presence of the lower levels of the phobia stimulus they move up the hierarchy.

Flooding

flooding involves immediate exposure to a very frightening situation. Flooding stops phobic response very quickly as without the option of avoidance behaviour, the client quickly learns that the phobic stimulus is harmless

In classical conditioning terms this process extension. a learned response is extinguished when the conditioned stimulus is encountered without the unconditioned stimulus. This result is that the conditioned stimulus no longer produces the conditioned response.

evidence of effectiveness

One straight of the systematic desensitisation is the evidence based for its effectiveness. Lisa Gilroy et al followed up 42 people who had SD for spider phobia in three 45minute sessions. AT both three and 33 months, the SD group were less fearful than a control group treated by relation without exposure. This means that SD is like to be helpful for people with phobias

People with learning disabilities

A further strength of SD is that it can be used to help people with learning disabilities. Some people requiring treatment for phobias also have a learning disability. However the main alternatives to SD are not suitable. people with ld often struggle with cognitive therapies that require complex rational thought. This means that SD is often the most appropriate treatment for people with learning disabilities who have phobias.

Cost-effective

One strength of flooding is that it is highly cost effective. Flooding can work as little as one session as opposed to say, ten sessions for SD to achieve the same result. Even allowing for longer sessions this makes flooding more cost-effective. This means that more people can be treated at the same cost with flooding than with SD or other therapies

traumatic

One limitation of flooding is that is is highly unpleasant experience. Confronting a phobic stimulus provokes extreme anxiety. This raises ethical issues for psychologist go knowingly causing stress to their clients, although this is not a serious issue provided they obtain informed consent. More seriously, the traumatic nature of flooding means that attrition rates are higher than for SD. this suggests that, overall, therapist may avoid using this treatment.