Phobias- Psychopathology Revision

Characteristics
1. Behavioural
  1. Panic
    1. Crying/screaming
    2. Freezing
  2. Avoidance
    1. Avoiding contact with phobic stimulus
  3. Endurance
    1. Remains in presence of phobic stimulus with high levels of anxiety
2. Emotional
  1. Anxiety
    1. Unpleasant state of high arousal
    2. Fear is short-term response, anxiety is long term
  2. Unreasonable and irrational
    1. Absolute terror for something that can't cause any harm
3. Cognitive
  1. Selective attention
  2. Irrational beliefs
  3. Cognitive distortions
    1. Seeing phobic stimulus in an unrealistic way
      1. E.g. snakes are monsters
Explanation
1. The two-process model
  1. Acquisition by classical conditioning
    1. Associating phobic stimulus with something that triggers a fear response
    2. Watson 1920
      1. Little Albert
        1. White rat= NS, No response
        2. Loud noise= UCS, fear response= UCR
        3. White rat and loud noise= UCS, fear response= UCR
        4. White rat= CS, fear response= CR
  2. Maintenance by operant conditioning
    1. Negative reinforcement
      1. Avoidance of phobic stimulus= reduction in fear
        Not a reward, but a preferred situation
  3. Behaviourist approach
2. Evaluation
  1. Application to therapy
  2. Avoidance may not be result of anxiety reduction
    1. Positive feelings of safety
  3. Incomplete explanation
    1. Role of evolutionary factors
      1. Phobias may be result of innate predisposition to fear certain things
        The dark would have been worthy of fear in the past (predators) even if it no longer is
  4. Not all phobias follow trauma
  5. Doesn't take cognitions into account
Treatment
1. Flooding
  1. Immediate exposure to phobic stimulus
    1. No anxiety hierarchy
  2. Eventually worn out by fear response
    1. Relaxed state
  3. Classical conditioning
    1. Extinction
  4. Must give fully informed consent
  5. Evaluation
    1. Very traumatic
      1. Often not completed
    2. Cost-effective- much quicker than SD
    3. Less effective for social phobias
      1. They have cognitive aspects
2. Systematic desensitisation
  1. Anxiety hierarchy
    1. Gradual increase in level of anxiety situation causes
  2. Relaxation techniques
    1. Breathing technqiues
  3. Exposure
    1. Exposed while in a relaxed state
    2. Work way up hierarchy until totally relaxed in presence of phobic stimulus
  4. Classical conditioning
  5. Reciprocal inhibition
    1. Impossible to be anxious and relaxed simultaneously
  6. Evaluation
    1. It is effective
      1. Supporting evidence
        More effective than relaxation techniques alone
    2. Suitable for diverse range of patients
      1. Alternatives aren't suitable for people with learning difficulties
    3. Preferred by patients- less unpleasant

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Phobias- Psychopathology Revision

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	Erstellt von Grace Fawcitt vor etwa 7 Jahre