Group insight versus group desensitization in treating speech anxiety.

Compared 3 forms of group treatment for their relative therapeutic effectiveness in reducing speech anxiety: (a) desensitization, (b) insight, and (c) combined desensitization and insight. 53 18-26 yr. old volunteers were assigned to 9 groups including a discussion group (attention placebo) and a waiting list control group. Ss filled out several self-report measures (The Confidence of Speaking, Social Avoidance and Distress, and Fear of Negative Evaluation scales) and a speech anxiety questionnaire. Results indicate that the insight group was as effective as the desensitization group in significantly reducing speech anxiety over control group levels as assessed by behavioral, cognitive, and self-report measures given immediately after posttreatment and at a 3-mo follow-up. The desensitization group treatment appeared to be significantly more effective than insight treatment with Ss for whom speech anxiety was confined to formal speech situations; conversely, insight group treatment appeared to be significantly more effective with Ss who suffer anxiety in many varied social situations. (42 ref.) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Instructional desensitization: A semantic behavior treatment of anxiety disorder.

Explored the efficacy of instructional desensitization (ID) in the treatment of public speaking anxiety, using 30 speech-anxious undergraduates as Ss. Three self-report measures of confidence, affect, and anxiousness were completed by Ss, and 20 behavioral manifestations of anxiety were observed during Ss' delivery of a 4-min speech. Ss were randomly assigned to ID, placebo, or waiting list groups. Ss in the placebo group were led to believe that they were receiving a new form of therapy. Results show that ID Ss showed a significant decrement in their anxiety reactions as measured by objective and subjective anxiety measures. A significant anxiety decrement was also found in placebo Ss. However, self-report gains were not verified by objective observations. It is concluded that ID is a new semantic behavior therapy intervention that may have beneficial effects in the treatment of a broad variety of anxiety disorders. (28 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Reduction of test anxiety through cognitive restructuring.

This collaborative clinical outcome study with 36 18–49 yr old Ss compared 2 procedures for reducing test anxiety with a waiting list control. In the first, systematic rational restructuring, the participants were trained to realistically reevaluate imaginally presented test-taking situations. In the second, a prolonged exposure condition, Ss were presented the same hierarchy items but with no instructions for coping cognitively. Ss were administered the following measures of test anxiety; the S-R Inventory of Anxiousness, Achievement Anxiety Test, Test Anxiety Questionnaire, Fear of Negative Evaluation, Social Avoidance and Distress Scale, and the Trait Scale of the Stait-Trait Anxiety Inventory. Results show greater anxiety reduction in the systematic rational restructuring condition, followed by the prolonged exposure group, with no changes for the control. Only those in the rational restructuring condition reported a significant decrease in subjective anxiety when placed in an analog test-taking situation. Ss in the restructuring condition also reported greater generalized anxiety reduction in social-evaluative situations. Within the broader context of cognitive behavior therapy, these results indicate that the cognitive reappraisal of anxiety-provoking situations can offer an effective treatment procedure for the reduction of anxiety. (31 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Comparison of three methods of reducing test anxiety: Systematic desensitization, implosive therapy, and study counseling.

Administered the Alpert-Haber Achievement Anxiety Test to 39 undergraduates. Finger sweat prints were also included as anxiety measures. Ss were assigned to 4 groups: systematic desensitization, implosive therapy, study counseling, and a no-treatment control group. Groups met for 4 1-hr sessions for 2 wks. Results suggest that systematic desensitization is more effective in reducing debilitating anxiety than either implosive therapy or study counseling and that implosive therapy is more effective than study counseling, which was not significantly different than no treatment. No significant differences between treatments were found on the physiological measure of anxiety, GPAs (compared before and after treatment), or facilitating anxiety. Findings support previous studies comparing desensitization and study counseling. (18 ref.) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Active, passive, and vicarious desensitization.

Studied 2 variations of desensitization therapy for reducing test anxiety: active desensitization in which the client describes his visualizations of the scenes and vicarious desensitization in which the client merely observes the desensitization treatment of another test-anxious client. 48 undergraduates with high scores on the Test Anxiety Scale (I. G. Sarason, 1972) were assigned to 1 of 6 groups. Active, passive, active-vicarious, and passive-vicarious desensitization groups were compared with relaxation and untreated control groups. Ss were given a battery of pre- and posttreatment measures assessing intelligence and anxiety (e.g., the Fear Survey Schedule). For measures on which desensitization had a significant effect, no significant differences were discovered between either direct and vicarious or active and passive forms of desensitization. The relaxation treatment which emphasized application of one's relaxation skills was effective. (19 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Comparative psychotherapy: Rational-emotive therapy versus systematic desensitization in the treatment of stuttering.

15 male and 5 female patients (mean age, 28 yrs) at a speech and hearing center were given either no treatment or 8 45-min intensive rational-emotive (R-E) or systematic desensitization (SD) therapy sessions with or without in vivo tasks. In vivo behavioral tasks included 5 telephone calls to persons defined as significant acquaintances by Ss and 5 spontaneous discussions with relative strangers. Assessment measures (TAT, Institute for Personality and Ability Testing Anxiety Scale, and Iowa Scale of Attitudes Toward Stuttering) were administered before, immediately and 1 mo after treatment. R-E therapy was more efficacious than SD in reducing stuttering behavior as well as accompanying anxiety and negative attitudes toward stuttering. SD, however, did fare better than no treatment (control) in reducing speech disfluencies. The inclusion of in vivo tasks did not have consistent effects across all criterion measures but did add to both therapies in influencing attitudes toward problem speech in the desired directions. Results favor a cognitive-behavioral approach to stuttering over a traditional behavioral approach. (15 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Desensitization and self-control in the treatment of test anxiety.

Studied M. R. Goldfried's (see record 1972-09080-001) recommendations for enhancing the self-control features of desensitization by changing both the rationale and the procedure followed in this approach. 98 test-anxious (Test Anxiety Questionnaire) college students were assigned to 4 treatment groups, a placebo group, or an untreated control group. The 4 treatment groups resulted from the combination of 2 treatment rationales (active coping and passive reciprocal inhibition) and 2 treatment procedures (self-control and standard). The treatment groups were found to be equally effective in reducing debilitative test anxiety. However, the self-control variant of desensitization combining both the rationale and procedural modifications recommended by Goldfried required fewer scene exposures and treatment sessions than standard desensitization and yet was more effective at enhancing facilitative test anxiety and test performance. Finally, it appeared that the active rationale was more effective than the passive rationale in bringing about persistent changes in Ss' academic performance subsequent to treatment. (21 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Applied relaxation as training in self-control.

81 test-anxious (Sarason's Test Anxiety Questionnaire) undergraduates who were high or low in general anxiety (the Trait form of the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory--T-STAI) were treated with 1 of 4 procedures: applied relaxation, systematic desensitization, relaxation only, or no treatment (control). The effectiveness of each procedure both in reducing test anxiety and in generalizing to other fears was assessed with 3 measures of test anxiety (Suinn Test Anxiety Behavior Scale, Wonderlic Personnel Test, and the State form of the STAI) and 3 measures of general anxiety (T-STAI, Institute for Personality and Ability Testing Anxiety Scale, and Geer's Fear Survey Schedule). Results indicate that applied relaxation was more effective in reducing anxiety than both relaxation only and no treatment on 2 of the measures of general anxiety and 2 of the measures of test anxiety, although significant differences between applied relaxation and systematic desensitization were limited to only 1 measure. (32 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Importance of hierarchy content in the self-control of anxiety.

Used speech anxiety as the target behavior in a study which compared 2 self-control desensitization procedures: one with a hierarchy relevant to speech anxiety and the other with a hierarchy totally unrelated to public speaking situations. A 3rd treatment condition involved the prolonged exposure of the hierarchy relevant to speech anxiety in the absence of relaxation. 42 speech-anxious community residents volunteered to participate in the program and were seen in groups for 7 therapy sessions. Using a variety of different outcome measures, consistent anxiety reduction was found after each of the 2 desensitization treatments. These were equally effective, indicating that the generally accepted procedure of using hierarchies reflecting target behavior may be an unimportant component of desensitization, at least as presented within a self-control framework. Although the 2 desensitization procedures were somewhat superior to the prolonged exposure, the latter also resulted in anxiety reduction. (1 p ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Extinction versus credibility in the desensitization of speech anxiety.

Compared systematic desensitization with 2 control treatments—a nonextinction control procedure in which visualizations of hierarchy items were paired with an aversive shock, and a placebo treatment equal to desensitization in credibility. 97 undergraduates with public speaking anxiety (Personal Report of Confidence As a Speaker) served as Ss. Significant improvement was obtained for all 3 conditions on all outcome measures. Data indicate that Ss in all 3 conditions improved more than minimal treatment, simulation, and high-demand no-treatment-control Ss. Analyses failed to uncover any significant between-group differences. On 2 self-report measures, Ss' pretreatment ratings of treatment credibility accounted for significant and substantial proportions of the variance (12.6 and 36.5%). Data support the influence of perceived treatment credibility on outcome measures, and they tend to disconfirm conditioning explanations of the efficacy of systematic desensitization. A significant difference in treatment credibility ratings between actual Ss and pretest pilot Ss was also noted, suggesting the advisability of checking credibility manipulations with Ss who believe that they are to receive the treatment described in the rationale. (24 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Influence of contextual cues on the efficacy of desensitization and a credible placebo in alleviating public speaking anxiety.

Investigated the extent to which contextual cues mediated the effectiveness of systematic desensitization and a plausible placebo in alleviating public speaking anxiety. After participating in a public speaking situation that allowed the collection of self-report, physiological, and behavioral manifestations of anxiety, 67 undergraduates were randomly assigned to receive 5 sessions of either desensitization, "T scope" therapy, or no treatment. Each of these conditions was conducted in a context that either stressed the clinical relevance of the procedure or presented the procedure as a laboratory investigation of fear without therapeutic implications. Analysis of changes both between groups and within individuals indicated that desensitization reduced public speaking anxiety in both contexts, whereas the placebo was effective only in the therapeutic setting. The superiority of desensitization was most pronounced on the physiological variables. Results are interpreted as indicating support for a counterconditioning rather than an expectancy interpretation of desensitization. (19 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Comparison of heart rate biofeedback, false biofeedback, and systematic desensitization in reducing speech anxiety: Short- and long-term effectiveness.

Assessed the comparative effectiveness of heart rate biofeedback (HRB) training, false HRB training, and systematic desensitization (SD) in reducing speech anxiety for 27 students chosen for their high scores on the item "speaking before a group" of the Fear Survey Schedule. Results indicate that all 3 groups demonstrated a decrease in self-reported (Personal Report of Confidence as a Speaker) and overt motor components of anxiety during 2 posttreatment assessment periods. Physiological measures (HR and skin conductance), however, indicate that the HRB group was associated with less physiological responding during the posttreatment assessments of anxiety relative to the other 2 groups. Results demonstrate that the 3 behavioral component measures of anxiety are not always highly correlated. (4 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

A comparison of traditional and self-control desensitization.

Compared the effectiveness of counterconditioning and self-control models of systematic desensitization in reducing targeted and nontargeted anxieties using 25 female and 3 male undergraduates selected from a larger pool because of high scores on the Test Anxiety Scale. Both treatments were equally effective in reducing and maintaining reduction of the targeted anxiety, debilitating test anxiety. Test performance for the 2 groups, however, did not differ significantly from that of the control group. Self-control desensitization produced and maintained significantly greater anxiety reduction than controls on both measures of nontargeted anxieties. Traditional desensitization showed significant reduction and maintenance on one measure of nontargeted anxieties and was not significantly different from self-control desensitization on the other. (15 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Systematic desensitization and awareness treatment for reducing counselor anxiety.

Compared the effects of systematic desensitization, an awareness treatment designed to increase awareness of interpersonal anxiety, and no treatment on the reduction of counselor's anxiety. 41 counseling graduate students assigned to 1 of the 3 treatment conditions served as Ss. With treatments intervening, Ss participated in pre- and postcounseling interviews with a client-accomplice. A multivariate analysis of postanxiety measures showed no differences between the treatment groups, but in comparison to the no-treatment control group both treatments were associated with significant anxiety reduction on 4 measures related to speech disturbance, extraneous body movement, and self-reported anxiety. (24 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Effect of personality type in reducing specific anxiety with behavioral and psychodynamic therapy.

Investigated the effects of personality type on the effectiveness of various treatment procedures in reducing test anxiety. 77 undergraduates with high scores on the Test Anxiety Scale (TAS) were identified as extravert or introvert by the Eysenck Personality Inventory. Ss were randomly assigned to insight, desensitization, flooding treatment, and control groups. Ss also completed the Institute for Personality and Ability Testing Self Analysis Form. Analysis of variance assessed difference scores on pre- to postanxiety measures. These methods generally failed to reduce anxiety on most of the measures. The only significant change was on the TAS, on which the introverts demonstrated greater test anxiety reduction than did the extroverts. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Effects of two short-term desensitization methods in the treatment of test anxiety.

2 short-term desensitization methods, accelerated massed desensitization and anxiety management training, were compared with standard systematic desensitization in terms of reducing self-reported test anxiety in 44 high test-anxious undergraduates. Posttreatment scores on the Suinn Test Anxiety Behavior Scale indicate that all 3 treatment procedures significantly reduced test anxiety as compared with a waiting-list control group. However, self-reported anxiety following treatment for the anxiety management training group was higher than for the standard desensitization and accelerated massed desensitization groups, and the standard desensitization procedure was significantly more effective than anxiety management training. Anxiety management training, a general or nonspecific program for anxiety control, reduced test anxiety with just 1 hr of direct training in counteracting anxiety. It did not, however, reduce other salient fears as measured by scores on a fear survey schedule. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Cognition and desensitization in the group treatment of test anxiety.

Assessed the comparative effectiveness of cognitive, arousal reduction, and combined cognitive and arousal reduction treatments for test anxiety. 48 test-anxious volunteers who had scored above 32 on the Debilitating Anxiety scale of the Alpert-Haber Achievement Anxiety Test were assigned randomly to 1 of 2 graduate-student therapists, who provided (a) cognitive therapy, (b) systematic desensitization, (c) a combination of cognitive therapy and systematic desensitization, or (d) a pseudotherapy control procedure. 12 other test-anxious Ss were assigned to a waiting-list control group. Test anxiety was assessed both on self-report measures, in an analog testing situation prior to treatment, at the completion of treatment, and at a 1-mo follow-up. GPA was also used as a measure of academic performance. Results indicate that cognitive therapy was more effective in reducing anxiety in the analog testing situation and improving GPA than other treatment and control procedures. Systematic desensitization, combined systematic desensitization and cognitive therapy, and the pseudotherapy control procedure were not reliably different from one another. Results underline the effectiveness of cognitive therapy in treating test anxiety. (36 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The psychobiological effects of cognitive experiential therapy, hypnosis, cognitive restructuring, and attention placebo control in the treatment of essential hypertension.

Examines the psychobiological effects of cognitive experiential therapy (CET) or what was previously referred to as rational stage directed hypnotherapy on essential hypertension. CET combines cognitive restructuring, hypnosis, and developmental staging. 39 Ss were assigned to 1 of 4 conditions: CET, hypnosis only, cognitive restructuring, or an attention placebo control group. The overall multivariate model consisting of all experimental conditions over time yielded a significant interaction effect with respect to 9 psychobiological outcome measures. Discriminant analysis revealed a stronger overall effect over time for CET when compared with its major components (i.e., hypnosis, cognitive restructuring, and attention control). (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)