Desensitization, suggestibility, and pseudotherapy.

44 snake phobic Ss participated in laboratory experiments assessing the degree of fear change associated with systematic desensitization, no treatment, placebo treatment, and the trait of suggestibility. Desensitization Ss showed significantly greater fear reduction than controls, while placebo Ss changed no more than did untreated Ss. Successful desensitization was relatively independent of suggestibility. Desensitization of specific fears generalized positively to other fears, and among desensitization Ss, degree of fear change could be predicted from measurable aspects of therapy process. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Group therapy of phobic disorders by systematic desensitization.

Phobic patients were placed in groups receiving either insight or desensitization (Wolpe, 1958) therapy. In approximately 20 sessions, 13 of 18 Ss treated by Wolpe's method were able to tolerate the fantasy of their phobic situation as well as to live through the experience outside of therapy without experiencing anxiety. Only 2 patients were symptom free in a comparable number of hours of insight-oriented group therapy. The 15 non-symtom-free Ss in the latter group were then placed in densensitization groups: 10 improved in 10 sessions. The implication of the results were discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Treatment of anxiety through systematic desensitization in therapy groups.

The effects of short-term treatment by modified systematic desensitization in time-limited intensive therapy groups were evaluated in a matched groups design. 10 chronically anxious college males, treated by the group method, were evaluated on the basis of personality and anxiety scales against an "own-control" period, and 4 equated groups of 10 Ss each. 1 group served as an untreated control for evaluating extra-treatment effects on college grade-point average, as an objective, public criterion. Ss in the remaining groups received 1 of the following individual treatments: systematic desensitization, insight-oriented psychotherapy, or an attention-placebo treatment. The group method produced several significant improvements, suggesting that combined group desensitization offers an efficient and effective treatment for social-evaluative anxiety. (27 ref.) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Systematic desensitization versus implosive therapy.

Compared systematic desensitization (SDT) and implosive therapies (IT) for their effectiveness and efficiency in reducing snake phobic behavior in 36 otherwise normal adults. SDT and IT Ss differed significantly from control Ss in posttreatment avoidance of a snake and in change of reported discomfort. SDT and IT, however, did not differ in effectiveness. Results of a 6-mo follow-up show that IT was more efficient in that treatment was completed in 45% of the time required for SDT. Results were qualified by the finding that SDT had a consistent and continuing effect across Ss and across time whereas IT effect was more variable. Occurrence of unusual disturbance of Ss during SDT and of IT Ss between sessions are discussed. (23 ref.) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Systematic desensitization: Expectancy change or counterconditioning?

Exposed 44 snake and spider phobic undergraduates to either (1) a form of systematic desensitization treatment; (2) a technique, called T-scope therapy, which embodies most of the expectancy-manipulating features of desensitization, but does not contain the technical elements of the procedure, i.e., relaxation, visualization, and the construction of an anxiety hierarchy, (3) T-scope therapy, presented as an "incomplete" and probably ineffective form of treatment; or (4) no treatment. There was no significant differences (on self-rating, runway, or interview measures) between the effects of the systematic desensitization procedure and T-scope therapy, although Ss receiving either of these treatments improved significantly more than those who received no treatment or T-scope therapy administered under the "low-expectancy" condition. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

External validity of laboratory fear assessment: Implications from two case studies.

Exposed 1 snake-phobic woman and 1 spider-phobic woman to a live snake or spider after they received systematic desensitization. In one assessment condition the 2 Ss were asked to approach and handle a caged snake or spider as in the traditional behavioral approach test, whereas in the other condition the Ss were exposed to the uncaged phobic stimuli. Both Ss manifested substantially greater physiological and cognitive distress while looking at the uncaged stimuli from a distance of 30 ft than when actually touching the caged snake or spider. Although both Ss were able to touch the caged snake or spider, they still reported being unable to engage in behaviors that were previously inhibited because of their phobia. Both Ss emphasized the importance of feeling in control when the phobic stimulus was caged but feeling out of control when the phobic stimulus was uncaged. Implications for the external validity of the behavioral approach test are discussed. (20 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Pilot study on the effectiveness of systematic desensitization with neurologically impaired children with phobic disorders.

A modified version of J. Wolpe's systematic desensitization therapy involving direct confrontation with the fear-inducing stimulus was attempted with 30 neurologically impaired children with phobic symptoms. 2 hypotheses were tested: (a) a nonverbal therapeutic technique not requiring motivation will produce successful symptom reduction for these Ss, and (b) awareness of therapeutic procedure is not necessary for successful results. Both hypotheses were confirmed. (23 ref.) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Treatment of insomnia using a variant of systematic desensitization.

Describes the treatment of a case of severe insomnia. The treatment, a variant of systematic desensitization, was short and apparently quite successful. The primary difference between usual desensitization procedures and those employed in this case was the absence of a fear hierarchy. A trainee-O was present during several training and early therapy sessions. He observed 2 therapy sessions and then became the therapist. He was directly supervised for 2 more therapy sessions and then continued treatment singly. The case illustrates the flexibility of behavior therapy in both procedural variations and in training of therapists. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

A psychophysiological analysis of fear modification using an automated desensitization procedure.

In Exp. I with 29 female undergraduates, an apparatus designed to administer systematic desensitization automatically was as effective as a live therapist in reducing phobic behavior, suggesting that effective desensitization is not dependent on a concurrent interpersonal interaction. An extensive psychophysiological analysis of the desensitization process showed that Ss' fear signals are associated with an increment in autonomic arousal, and that repreated presentation of fear items is accompanied by reduction in autonomic activity. Heart rate levels, responses, and degree of habituation to fear stimuli appeared related to success of desensitization. In Exp. II with 5 male and 15 female Ss, the anxiety hierarchies developed for desensitization yielded autonomic gradients, when the items were presented as visualized scenes, that varied with fear content and reported clarity of visualization. Results support the view that desensitization modifies autonomic, as well as gross motor and verbal responses, through learning. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Reactions of internal and external test-anxious students to counseling and behavior therapies.

Studied the responses of 36 test-anxious students, who differed on Rotter's Internal-External Control Scale, to 3 forms of therapy (counseling, systematic desensitization, and automated desensitization). Support was obtained for the prediction that internal Ss would show greater resistance to the control implied in the 2 behavior therapies than external Ss. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The influence of demand characteristics on the outcome of systematic desensitization analogue studies.

48 female undergraduates with high scores on the Snake-Fear Questionnaire participated in either systematic desensitization, sleep therapy, partial systematic desensitization, or no treatment. Sleep therapy and partial systematic desensitization had all of the components of systematic desensitization except pairing the hierarchy and relaxation. However, sleep therapy Ss took the posttreatment fear assessments thinking that relaxation and the hierarchy had been paired while they slept, whereas Ss in partial systematic desensitization took the posttherapy fear assessments with the expectation of subsequently having relaxation paired with the hierarchy. Results indicate that comparable fear reductions were produced by sleep therapy and systematic desensitization. Sleep therapy, however, resulted in more reduction of the Ss' fear responses than partial systematic desensitization. These findings demonstrate that pairing relaxation with the hierarchy was not necessary to achieve reduction of Ss' fear responses, and that operations other than the components of systematic desensitization could influence the outcome of systematic desensitization analog research. Findings support the contention that in analog research a significant amount of the behavior change achieved by systematic desensitization is attributable to the treatment's demand characteristics. (French summary) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

A psychoanalytic reinterpretation of the effectiveness of systematic desensitization: Experimental data bearing on the role of merging fantasies.

Subjected 10 women with insect phobias to a variant of systematic desensitization in which a procedure aimed at stimulating a fantasy of "merging with mother" was substituted for muscle relaxation. The procedure consisted of the tachistoscopic subliminal exposure of the verbal stimulus MOMMY AND I ARE ONE during the visualization part of desensitization, whenever the S's anxiety rose above a specified level. A control group of 10 other women with insect phobias underwent the same procedure except that the subliminally exposed message was the neutral stimulus PEOPLE WALKING. On measures of both phobic behavior and anxiety, the experimental group manifested significantly more improvement than the controls. This supports the proposition that (part of) the effectiveness of systematic desensitization resides in its activating unconscious merging fantasies. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Galvanic skin response and reported anxiety during systematic desensitization.

Preselected 3 groups of 8 females each for high snake fear. 1 group received systematic desensitization with relaxation, another desensitization without relaxation (essentially exposure to phobic visualizations), and the 3rd relaxation and visualization of neutral scenes. Outcome measures indicate that the desensitization group reduced phobic behavior most, followed by the relaxation group, and then the exposure group. Total amplitude of GSR responsivity during a visualization showed a more rapid habituation for the desensitization group than either exposure or relaxation group. Results confirm the initial hypotheses and provide support for a counterconditioning explanation of systematic desensitization with relaxation as the mediator or counterconditioner. (16 ref.) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Self-directed contact desensitization.

36 college-student snake phobics (selected on the basis of Fear Survey Schedule scores) received 1 of 4 treatments to reduce their snake avoidance behavior: self-directed friend, self-directed stranger, therapist-directed contact desensitization, or attention control. Ss in the self-directed friend condition used a manual describing contact desensitization to direct nonfearful friends to act as their therapists. Ss in the self-directed stranger condition used the same manual to direct nonfearful strangers to act as their therapists. Ss in the self-directed contact desensitization condition received standard contact desensitization, and Ss in the attention control condition received the manual and attention but no actual treatment. Behavioral and self-report assessment showed all 3 treatments relative to the control to be highly and equally effective in reducing snake avoidance behavior. It is concluded that contact desensitization can be successfully used as a "packaged" treatment in a self-control context. (29 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Systematic versus semantic desensitization and implosive therapy: A comparative study.

Selected 28 female and 12 male rat-phobic undergraduates matched on the degree of behavior avoidance, subjective fear, and semantic rating of the fear object. Ss were randomly assigned to 1 of 4 treatment groups: systematic desensitization, semantic desensitization, implosive therapy, and pseudodesensitization on a neutral buffer task. Results indicate that both the systematic and the semantic desensitization treatment resulted in a significant fear decrement as compared to the controls (p     

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)     

Desensitization and modeling treatments of spider fear using two types of scenes.

In a study with 63 female and 7 male spider-phobic undergraduates, 3 types of therapy (imaginal desensitization, videotaped therapy with narratives and relaxation instructions, and videotaped therapy alone) were combined with 2 types of scenes (scenes depicting individuals interacting with spiders and scenes depicting only the spiders). Ss were assigned to 1 of the 6 treatment conditions or to an untreated control group. Behavioral and self-report measures were collected before and after the 4-wk treatment period. On the behavioral measure, all but one of the treatment groups differed significantly from the control group; the exception was the videotaped-therapy-only group, which viewed spider-only scenes. In general, the following conclusions are drawn: (a) Desensitization and modeling therapies were equally effective. (b) Modeling alone was more effective than mere exposure to the phobic object. (c) Therapies that included components that might serve as reciprocal inhibitors of Ss' fears were equally effective, regardless of the type of scene they used. (15 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Long-term effects of behavior therapy: A 12-month follow-up.

19 female undergraduates who underwent various behavioral treatments designed to reduce a specific fear were paid to return for follow-up 1 yr. later. In general, treated Ss' rat fears were less intense 1 yr. after treatment than they had been prior to treatment, with those treated by systematic desensitization slightly less fearful than those treated with "rational therapy." Subsequently, the desensitized Ss eliminated a snake fear by themselves, but the effects of this self-administered desensitization were not maintained. Additionally, 6 children treated by operant conditioning techniques for various problems were reevaluated 1 yr. later. All behavior change was maintained, but only those who had graduated to social reinforcement showed additional improvement. No evidence for symptom substitution was obtained from either group of Ss. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Contribution of pretesting to several measures of semantic desensitization effectiveness.

32 snake- or spider-phobic Ss were randomly assigned to 1 of 4 groups: pretest–posttest therapy, posttest-only therapy, pre–post control, or post-only control. Ss receiving semantic desensitization therapy showed less posttest anxiety on the semantic differential than controls regardless of testing condition. However, therapy Ss demonstrated less anxiety on a fear survey, a fear thermometer, and a behavioral approach test only in the pretest–posttest condition. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)