systematic desensitisation

Question 1

What is systematic desensitisation?

Answer 1

• exposure therapy based on the principle of classical conditioning
• the therapy aims to gradually increase exposure to the phobia to diminish the fear response

Question 2

How does systematic desensitisation remove the fear response?

Answer 2

Through counter conditioning to unlearn the maladaptive response to the phobia by eliciting another response (relaxation)

Question 3

Who created systematic desensitisation?

Answer 3

Wolpe in the 1950s

Question 4

What are the three critical components to systematic desensitisation?

Answer 4

• desensitisation hierarchy
• relaxation training
• reciprocal inhibition (counter conditioning)

Question 5

What is the first step of systematic desensitisation?

Answer 5

• A patient is taught to relax their muscles (Relaxed state is incompatible with anxiety)

Question 6

What is the second step of systematic desensitisation?

Answer 6

• The therapist and the patient conduct a desensitisation hierarchy
• this could include have a series of imagined or real life scenes, each one causing more anxiety than the previous

Question 7

What is the 3rd step of systematic desensitisation?

Answer 7

• a patient gradually works their way through the desensitisation hierarchy
• they visualise each anxiety-evoking event while engaging in the competing relaxation response

Question 8

What is the fourth step of systematic desensitisation?

Answer 8

• once the patient has mastered one step in the hierarchy they are ready to move onto the next

Question 9

What is the final step of the systematic desensitisation process?

Answer 9

• the patient masters the feared situation that caused them to seek help in the first place.

Question 10

How is exposure done for systematic desensitisation?

Answer 10

in vitro = the client imagines the exposure to the phobic stimulus.
In vivo - client is actually exposed to the phobic stimulus