A comparison of self-delivered consequences and desensitization in the treatment of fear of rats.
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 to the treatment of fear responses to specific stimuli and an extinction explanation of the effectiveness of systematic desensitization are discussed.
D000328:Adult; D000818:Animals; D001521:Behavior Therapy; D003887:Desensitization, Psychologic; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D010698:Phobic Disorders / Q000628:therapy*; D051381:Rats