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The Treatment of a Snake Phobia by Imaginal Exposure

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  16 June 2009

David A. Richards
David A. Richards
Affiliation:
St. George's Hospital, Morpeth, Northumberland
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Abstract

A severe phobia of snakes was treated by exposure in imagination, no in vivo exposure taking place. Imaginal exposure homework was given with the aid of audio-tapes of the treatment sessions. After treatment, in a behavioural test, the client experienced rapid habituation of anxiety to handling a live snake. The total amount of time taken for the treatment was similar to the time taken in treating other small animal phobics by in vivo exposure alone. It is suggested that for specific phobics the use of imaginal rehearsal prior to in vivo exposure may optimise the conditions under which in vivo exposure takes places and require no more of the therapist's time than the usual in vivo methods.

Type
Research Article
Information
Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapy , Volume 16 , Issue 3 , July 1988 , pp. 207 - 216
Copyright
Copyright © British Association for Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapies 1988

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