Exposure in vivo vs applied relaxation in the treatment of blood phobia

https://doi.org/10.1016/0005-7967(84)90001-9Get rights and content

Abstract

Eighteen patients with phobia for bloodt, wounds and injuries were treated with exposure in vivo or applied relaxation. They were assessed on different self-report, behavioral and physiological measures before and after treatment. The patients were treated individually for 9 sessions, 1 per week. The within-group comparisons showed that both groups had improved significantly on most of the measures and that these improvements were sustained or furthered at the 6-month follow-up. Furthermore, 10 of the 16 who completed the treatment became blood donors. The between-group comparisons showed exposure to be better than applied relaxation on three of the self-report measures at post-treatment assessment, but not at follow-up. The groups did equally well on the behavioral and physiological measures. The conclusion that can be drawn is that the coping-orientated method of applied relaxation is as effective as exposure in vivo in the treatment of blood phobia.

References (36)

  • L.-G. Öst

    Fading vs systematic desensitization in the treatment of snake and spider phobia

    Behav. Res. Ther.

    (1978)
  • L.-G. Öst et al.

    Acquisition of agoraphobia, mode of onset and anxiety response patterns

    Behav. Res. Ther.

    (1983)
  • L.-G. Öst et al.

    Individual response patterns and the effects of different behavioral methods in the treatment of social phobia

    Behav. Res. Ther.

    (1981)
  • L.-G. Öst et al.

    Individual response patterns and the effects of different behavioral methods in the treatment of claustrophobia

    Behav. Res. Ther.

    (1982)
  • L.-G. Öst et al.

    Physiological responses in blood phobics

    Behav. Res. Ther.

    (1984)
  • J. Wolpe et al.

    A fear schedule for use in behavior therapy

    Behav. Res. Ther.

    (1964)
  • W. Yule et al.

    Blood phobia—beware

    Behav. Res. Ther.

    (1980)
  • H.H. Babcock et al.

    Vasovagal fainting: deconditioning an autonomic syndrome

    Psychosomatics

    (1982)
  • Cited by (77)

    • Applied Relaxation

      2022, Comprehensive Clinical Psychology, Second Edition
    • Syncope in Children and Adolescents

      2015, Cardiology Clinics
      Citation Excerpt :

      Some of these children later on develop NCS and there is some evidence of clinical overlap between BIP and breath-holding spells. Deconditioning by exposure is often helpful and the tendency to have syncope can be prevented by muscle tensing and inducing anger.49 The fainting lark is a game or trick played by older children in schools or colleges.

    • Visuo-vestibular contributions to anxiety and fear

      2015, Neuroscience and Biobehavioral Reviews
      Citation Excerpt :

      With the exception of BII phobias, the physiologic pattern of panic attacks driven either by a non-identified stimulus (panic attack) or by a clear trigger (e.g., fear of spiders) the symptomatic profile is assumed to be the same (Craske, 1991). BII phobia is an exception in which a vasovagal response is commonly present, and for which a distinct treatment is available (Ost et al., 1991, 1984). This particular subtype is well differentiated from the other subtypes.

    • Syncope in children and adolescents

      2013, Cardiac Electrophysiology Clinics
      Citation Excerpt :

      Some of these children later on develop NCS and there is some evidence of clinical overlap between BIP and breath-holding spells. Deconditioning by exposure is often helpful and the tendency to have syncope can be prevented by muscle tensing and inducing anger.49 The fainting lark is a game or trick played by older children in schools or colleges.

    View all citing articles on Scopus
    View full text