Relaxation and distraction in experimental desensitization
- 1 January 1980
- journal article
- research article
- Published by Wiley in Journal of Clinical Psychology
- Vol. 36 (1) , 246-252
- https://doi.org/10.1002/1097-4679(198001)36:1<246::aid-jclp2270360130>3.0.co;2-k
Abstract
Compared experimental desensitization with a procedure that replaced relaxation with a distraction task and with an approach that combined both relaxation and distraction (N = 50). Each of these treatments reduced snake phobia to a greater extent than control procedures; desensitization generally was more effective than the other two procedures. The results are discussed in terms of their relevance for “distraction” or “attentional” accounts of desensitization.Keywords
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