Description
Optimizing Exposure in the Treatment of Specific Phobia in Children: Facing Fears In-Session or Out-Session?Despite the empirical evidence of its efficacy, a gap between theory and practice remains, with exposure-based interventions being underused in clinical practice. For example, a Dutch survey of 490 psychologists found that exposure was mostly practiced outside the formal therapy sessions as homework assignment (Sars & van Minnen, 2015). Although homework is important, since children need to exercise their skills in daily situations outside therapy for optimal generalization of what is learned inside therapy (De Jong, Lommen, de Jong & Nauta, 2018), it is questionable whether exposure is effective when it is limited to homework assignments. Especially since avoidance of the anxious object or situation is part of their problem, it might be hard for children to do these assignments independently (e.g., without the help of a therapist or their parents). 60 children with the animal/situational subtype of specific phobia (aged 8-12) were randomized to one of the following three-sessions treatments, namely therapist-guided exposure or self-guided exposure with or without the use of parents as co-therapists. Before and after treatment, specific phobia severity, approach/avoidance behavior and different subjective ratings of anxiety were measured (including feelings of fear and tension, fearful beliefs and approach/avoidance behavior). Preliminary results will be reported and discussed.
| Period | 18-Jul-2019 |
|---|---|
| Event title | 9th World Congress of Behavioural and Cognitive Therapies |
| Event type | Conference |
| Location | Berlin, GermanyShow on map |