Massed versus spaced desensitization of fear

Ramsay, R.W.; Barends, J.; Breuker, J.; Kruseman, A.

doi:10.1016/0005-7967(66)90007-6

Cited by 27 publications

(10 citation statements)

References 2 publications

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“…Our data suggest that a small rebound in spider bias occurred by one-week post training for the training group. Phobic individuals have shown more efficient and durable reductions in fear after distributed rather than massed exposure to a phobic stimulus in traditional exposure therapy (Rowe & Craske, 1998; Ramsay, Barends, Breuker, & Kruseman, 1966). Therefore, it would be useful to test whether the training may be more powerful when administered in a distributed manner.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Attention training for reducing spider fear in spider-fearful individuals

Reese

McNally

Najmi

et al. 2010

Journal of Anxiety Disorders

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Cognitive theorists propose that attentional biases for threatening information play an important role in the development and maintenance of anxiety disorders. If attentional biases for threat figure in the maintenance of anxiety, then the experimental reduction of the bias for threat (attention training) should reduce anxiety. We randomly assigned 41 spider-fearful individuals to receive either attention training (n = 20) or control procedures (n = 21). We used a modified dot-probe discrimination paradigm with photographs of spiders and cows to train attention. Training reduced attentional bias for spiders, but only temporarily. Although both groups declined in spider fear and avoidance, reduction in attentional bias did not produce significantly greater symptom reduction in the training group than in the control group. However, reduction in attentional bias predicted reduction in self-reported fear for the training group. The reduction in attentional bias for threat may have been insufficiently robust to produce symptom reduction greater than that produced by exposure to a live spider and spider photographs alone. Alternatively, attention training may be an unsuitable intervention for spider fear.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Attention training for reducing spider fear in spider-fearful individuals

Reese

McNally

Najmi

et al. 2010

Journal of Anxiety Disorders

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“…Furthermore, neither included follow‐up assessment. Ramsay, Barends, Breuker, and Kruseman (1966) structured their massed practice as 40 min of treatment on each of 2 days, which were spaced 4 days apart. Their spaced practice included 20‐min sessions on 4 consecutive days.…”

Section: Specific Techniques For the Prevention Of The Return Of Fearmentioning

confidence: 99%

Implications of a new theory of disuse for the treatment of emotional disorders.

Lang

Craske

Bjork

1999

Clinical Psychology: Science and Practice

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In this review, we conceptualize exposure‐based treatment as a learning experience. With this approach, optimizing treatment is a matter of optimizing memory for new learning. Given that perspective, we discuss the implications of a “new theory of disuse,” proposed by Bjork and Bjork (1992) to capture the storage and retrieval dynamics that characterize human memory. The theory distinguishes between the storage strength and retrieval strength of learned representations and provides a framework from which we derive a number of manipulations that have the potential to improve the long‐term effectiveness of cognitive behavioral therapy. Implications for treatment of specific fears are described in detail, with additional discussion regarding treatment for other emotional disorders.

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“…Consequently, in the present study there was no intertherapy time lapse for the massed group. Second, for the ST group the present study employed 30-minute sessions a day as opposed to 20-minute sessions used in Ramsay et al Thus, the present study appears to have massed therapy to a greater extent than Ramsay et al (3).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 91%