Fear reduction in cat phobia:effectiveness of manipulating imagery script contents with response propositions and stimulus propositions in two systematic desensitization procedures

Abstract

ABSTRACT The present study was designed to examine the effectiveness of manipulating imagery script contents used in systematic desensitization procedure in alleviating phobias. Subjects were twelve female cat phobic students from Middle East Technical University. As pre and post-treatment assessment measures; Behavioral Avoidance Test, State Anxiety Scale and Brief Standard Self Rating Form were administered. The rationale in conducting this study was developed from the following findings reported in the literature. Research has demonstrated that the reason for the potency of relaxation in systematic desensitization is its capacity to increase imagery vividness during treatment process and autonomic arousal in the first visualizations of initial scenes from the hierarchy. Both of these consequences were found to be positively correlated with therapeutic success. At the same time in some other studies which were based on Lang's (1979) bio-informational theory of emotional imagery it was experimentally demonstrated that imagery scripts containing physiological response propositions facilitated the increase in both overall ratings of YIIimagery vividness and autonomic reactance during imagery. Conversely, scripts based on stimulus propositions did not produce similar effects. Past research used response propositional scripts and stimulus propositional scripts in physiological studies rather than in a therapeutic context. In the present study, physiological response propositions and stimulus propositions were used separately in the treatment hierarchy items of two systematic desensitization procedures both directed at alleviating cat phobia. It was expected that the treatment procedure utilizing physiological response propositions in the imagery scripts would facilitate greater fear reduction in the subjects as compared to the other procedure utilizing stimulus propositions in the scripts. This hypothesis was based on the rationale that physiological response propositions would increase both imagery vividness and initial sympathetic activity in phobic subjects; thus enhance treatment effectiveness. Prior to the treatment, the groups received specific imagery training. The fist group were trained to pay attention to the stimulus details in the scripts (stimulus training) whereas the second group were trained by emphasising response propositions in their scripts (response training). Manipulation of the VIIItreatment hierarchy items were based on stressing stimulus details for the stimulus group and physiological response patterns for the response group, the main themes being held similar for both groups. The treatment process was carried out in individual sessions during which heart rate responses were recorded in predetermined intervals. Vividness and fear ratings of imagery were obtained from each subject immediately following the scene presentations. The two groups were compared on pre and post-treatment measures both prior to and after the treatment. As a result of the study both the stimulus and the response groups showed significant improvements in their target phobia measured by Behavioral Avoidance Test, State Anxiety Scale and Main Phobia rating scale in the Self Rating Form. Response group failed to exhibit greater fear reduction. Even though a trend could be observed in the response group towards showing the expected physiological activity pattern, it could not reach significance as a group specific trend. The two groups did not significantly differ from each other in ratings of vividness and fear either. The results were discussed cosidering the limited number of subjects, practical limitations and ambiguity of the imaginal systems which hinders their measurability and IXmanipulation. Suggestions were presented directing future research. X