Arrange steps in the correct sequence followed in systematic desensitization technique:
(A) The therapist relaxes the client and asks him to think about the least anxiety provoking situation.
(B) The client is interviewed to elicit fear provoking situations.
(C) The therapist prepares a hierarchy of anxiety provoking stimulus with least anxiety provoking at the bottom.
(D) The client is asked to stop thinking of the fearful situation if the slightest tension is felt.
(E) Over the sessions, the client is able to imagine more severe fear provoking situations while maintaining the relaxation.
Choose the correct answer from the options given below:
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 2
The correct answer is Option (2) → (B), (C), (A), (D), (E)
Systematic desensitisation is a technique introduced by Wolpe for treating phobias or irrational fears. Its steps run in this order:
(B) The client is interviewed to elicit fear provoking situations. — the therapist first finds out what the client fears.
(C) The therapist prepares a hierarchy of anxiety provoking stimulus ... — with the client, the fears are arranged in a hierarchy, the least anxiety-provoking at the bottom.
(A) The therapist relaxes the client and asks him to think about the least anxiety provoking situation. — the treatment begins at the bottom of the hierarchy, in a relaxed state.
(D) The client is asked to stop thinking of the fearful situation if the slightest tension is felt. — relaxation must be kept, so the scene is dropped at the first sign of tension.
(E) Over the sessions, the client is able to imagine more severe fear provoking situations while maintaining the relaxation. — the client moves up the hierarchy and gets systematically desensitised to the fear.
The principle of reciprocal inhibition works here: relaxation and anxiety are two opposing forces, and the stronger one, relaxation, inhibits the weaker one.
NCERT (2025-26): “Behavioural Techniques … Systematic desensitisation is a technique introduced by Wolpe for treating phobias or irrational fears. The client is interviewed to elicit fear provoking situations and together with the client, the therapist prepares a hierarchy of anxiety-provoking stimuli with the least anxiety-provoking stimuli at the bottom of the hierarchy. The therapist relaxes the client and asks the client to think about the least anxietyprovoking situation. Box 5.2 gives details of relaxation procedures. The client is asked to stop thinking of the fearful situation if the slightest tension is felt. Over sessions, the client is able to imagine more severe fear -provoking situations while maintaining the relaxation. The client gets systematically desensitised to the fear.…” |