A comparison of self-delivered consequences and desensitization in the treatment of fear of rats

✍ Scribed by Alan M. Gross; T. A. Brigham

• Publisher: John Wiley and Sons
• Year: 1979
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 564 KB
• Volume: 35
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0021-9762
• DOI: 10.1002/1097-4679(197904)35:2<384::aid-jclp2270350231>3.0.co;2-7

✦ Synopsis

Exposed 52 rat phobic Ss to either group desensitization, self-delivered consequences imagined exposure, self-delivered consequences in-vivo exposure, or no treatment. Self-delivered consequences Ss conducted the treatment on their own and self-delivered preselected reinforcers contingent upon performance of the treatment exercises. All treatment groups improved significantly more than the no-treatment control group. The self-delivered consequences imagined exposure and the group desensitization treatments were equally effective. The self-delivered consequences in-vivo exposure treatment was significantly more effective than the self-delivered consequences imagined exposure and group desensitization treatments. The applicability of self-management techniques t o the treatment of fear responses to specific stimuli and an extinction explanation of the effectiveness of systematic desensitization are discussed.