systematic desensitisation

Question 1

What does the exposure of systematic desensitisation involve?

Answer 1

• Patient must confront fear until it subsides due to habituation, process of behavioural and sensory responses diminishing over time
  -imagination is useful in cases of trauma, this makes therapy most effective as all 5 senses are involved

Question 2

What does in vivo mean?

Answer 2

real life exposure to the feared stimulus

Question 3

What does in vitro mean?

Answer 3

imagination of feared stimulus

Question 4

What is response prevention?

Answer 4

• refraining from engaging in typical avoidance or escape behaviours when faced with a feared situation

Question 5

How many sessions are required for systematic desensitisation to be successful ?

Answer 5

-number of sessions depends on severity of phobia
- usually 4-6 sessions, up to 12 for severe phobias
- complete once therapeutic goals are met

Question 6

What is the AO1 of systematic desensitisation?

Answer 6

• what can be learned can be unlearned
  -uses principles of CC to treat phobais
• replace fear with relaxation
  -reciprocal inhibition - 2 opposing feelings cannot be felt at same time
  -gradual exposure
• functional analysis - how severe is fear
  -anxiety hierarchy (least to worst fear)