The effect of concordance in the treatment of clients with dental anxiety.
This study followed from an earlier case study in which an agoraphobic client was treated daily for a period of four weeks by in vivo exposure. Ratings of his perceived anxiety responses in the behavioural, cognitive, and physiological systems were monitored throughout treatment. Concordance between these ratings was associated with positive outcome. This study was an attempt to replicate some of these findings. A group programme involving four sessions in which clients were taught anxiety management skills, exposed in imagination to situations relating, to dentistry, and given homework assignments was carried out with clients presenting with disproportionate dental anxiety. The subjects were obtained by means of local newspaper and radio advertisements and randomly assigned to a massed or spaced treatment condition. It was predicted that the massed condition involving shorter intersession intervals would be superior at producing habituation and concordance than the spaced condition. The results failed to show differences between the massed and spaced treatment condition with regard to concordance and outcome. However, it was confirmed, once more, that concordance between the three modes of anxiety responding was positively related to outcome.
Department of Psychology, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John's, Canada.
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D000328:Adult; D001007:Anxiety / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*; D001143:Arousal; D003729:Dental Care / Q000523:psychology*; D003887:Desensitization, Psychologic / Q000379:methods*; D005239:Fear; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged