Hostname: page-component-745bb68f8f-f46jp Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2025-02-11T03:48:32.020Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

An Experimental Investigation of Desensitization in Phobic Patients

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  29 January 2018

P. Gillan
Affiliation:
Department of Psychology, Institute of Psychiatry, De Crespigny Park, London SE5 8AF
S. J. Rachman
Affiliation:
Department of Psychology, Institute of Psychiatry, De Crespigny Park, London SE5 8AF
Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Extract

Core share and HTML view are not available for this content. However, as you have access to this content, a full PDF is available via the ‘Save PDF’ action button.

The investigation had three major aims. We attempted to repeat and extend the findings of the Gelder, Marks and Wolff (1967) study of the comparative efficacy of desensitization and psychotherapy in the treatment of phobic patients. Our second aim was to isolate the effects of various components of desensitization treatment, in the manner employed in laboratory studies of fear-reduction (e.g. Davison, 1968; Rachman, 1965; Rachman, 1968). The third aim was to collect data on the relationships between psychophysiological changes and clinical outcome.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © Royal College of Psychiatrists, 1974 

References

Davison, G. (1968). ‘Systematic desensitization as a counter-conditioning process.’ Journal of Abnormal Psychology, 73, 91–9.Google Scholar
Gelder, M., and Marks, I. (1966). ‘Severe agoraphobia: A controlled prospective trial of behaviour therapy.’ British Journal of Psychiatry, 112, 309–19.Google Scholar
Gelder, M., Marks, I., and Wolff, H. (1967). ‘Desensitization and psychotherapy in the treatment of phobic states.’ British Journal of Psychiatry, 113, 5373.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Gillan, P. (1971). ‘An experimental investigation of behaviour therapy in phobic patients.’ Ph.D. Thesis, University Tof London.Google Scholar
Lader, M., and Wing, L. (1966). Physiological Measures, Sedative MDrugs and Morbid Anxiety. Maudsley Monograph No. 14. Oxford University Press.Google Scholar
Lang, P., Lazovik, D., and Reynolds, D. (1966). ‘Desensitization, suggestibility and pseudotherapy.’ Journal of Abnormal Psychology, 70, 395402.Google Scholar
Rachman, S. (1965). ‘The separate effects of relaxation and desensitization.’ Behaviour Research and Therapy, 3, 245–52.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Rachman, S. (1967). ‘Systematic desensitization.’ Psychological Bulletin, 67, 93103.Google Scholar
Rachman, S. (1968). Phobias: Their Nature and Control. Springfield: Thomas.Google Scholar
Rachman, S. (1968). ‘The role of relaxation in systematic desensitization.’ Behaviour Research and Therapy, 6, 159–66.Google Scholar
Rachman, S. (1971). The Effects of Psychotherapy. Oxford: Pergamon Press.Google Scholar
Wilkins, W. (1971). ‘Desensitization: social and cognitive factors underlying the effectiveness of Wolpe's procedure.’ Psychological Bulletin, 76, 311–7.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Wolpe, J. (1958). Psychotherapy by Reciprocal Inhibition. Stanford: Stanford University Press.Google Scholar
Submit a response

eLetters

No eLetters have been published for this article.