Evaluate one treatment for phobias from the learning approach – Systematic Desensitisation (12 marks)

The student would need to make points surrounding these areas of the treatment:

D – different theoryE - expenseS – supporting studyS – side effectsE – ethical strengths/weaknessesR – root cause?T – time

They would need to write approximately 6 paragraphs.

Each paragraph follows the PEEL structure

P – point

E – evidence

E – explanation

L – link

Example paragraph for supporting study:

P – Capafons et al. (1998) offers supporting evidence for systematic desensitisation as a treatment for phobias.

E – The study involved treating 20 participants in an experimental group with systematic desensitisation and comparing them to 21 participants in a control group. All participants had a fear of flying.

E – The experimental group reported lower anxiety than the control group in a flight simulator following the treatment.

L – Therefore, this indicates that systematic desensitisation was successful in helping the participants overcome their fear of flying.

Example paragraph for ethical strength:

P – The treatment has some ethical strengths.

E – The patient designs their own anxiety hierarchy and exposure to the phobic object is gradual.

E – This is less stressful compared to other methods e.g. flooding.

L – Therefore, patients have some degree of control and do not surrender total power to the practitioner.