One versus five sessions of applied tension in the treatment of blood phobia.
Thirty patients with blood phobia, fulfilling the DSM-III-R criteria for simple phobia, were assessed with behavioral, physiological and self-report measures. They were randomly assigned to 3 different conditions: (1) 5 sessions of applied tension; (2) 1 session of applied tension (maximum 2 h); and (3) I session of tension-only (maximum 2 h). The results showed that the patients in the 3 treatments were all significantly improved at post-treatment and the effects were maintained at the 1 yr follow-up. At post-treatment and follow-up the proportions of clinically improved patients were: AT5 50 and 60%, AT1 0 and 70%, and T1 30 and 60%, respectively. The conclusion that can be drawn is that I-session therapist-directed applied tension or tension-only is the treatment of choice for blood phobia, but completed with a maintenance program of self-exposure.
Hellström
K
K
Department of Psychiatry, University of Uppsala, Sweden.
Fellenius
J
J
Ost
L G
LG
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001007:Anxiety / Q000175:diagnosis; D001521:Behavior Therapy; D001769:Blood; D001794:Blood Pressure; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010698:Phobic Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D013575:Syncope / Q000209:etiology; D016896:Treatment Outcome