CONTEMPORARY STUDY
CAPAFONS ET AL. (1998): Systematic desensitization in the treatment of
fear of flying
Aim: to validate effectiveness of systematic desensitisation as treatment for fear of flying
and to assess therapeutic success of SD when applied to this type of specific phobia
Lab experiment
IV: conditions pps were in
- Treatment group
- Control group waiting for therapy
DV: level of fear of flying
1) Diagnosis of fear with IDG-FV
2) EMV for fear during flight
3) EPAV for catastrophic thoughts
4) Physiological measures
Sample: volunteers from media campaign advertising free intervention programmes for
fear of flying
41 pps scared of flying
- 20 randomly assigned to treatment group (8M + 12 F)
- 21 waiting control group (9M + 12F)
Matched pairs design: balanced in terms of age, gender, strength of fear + physical measures
Procedure: interview about fear of flying e.g. life history
Fear of flying scale measured anxiety levels in different flying situations
39
, 3 EMV scales measured fear :
- during flight
- of preliminaries e.g. going to airport
- without involvement e.g see plane
2 EPAV scales measure catastrophic thoughts (e.g. engine catching fire, wing falls off)
+ how much they thought they’d have a physical reaction to flying
Habituation session: pp acquainted with situation
Video of trip on plane from packing to touchdown
Pps asked to “feel as involved as possible” in the video
Physical measures while watching video simulation at take off point before flight
- Heart rate
- Muscular tension
- Skin temperature
Interview to explain of treatment for therapy group / next assessment session for waiting
control group
Treatment: at uni 2 1-hour sessions per week = 12/15 in total
- Training in muscular relaxation + breathing techniques
- Imagined situation (in vitro)
- Real-life situations (in vivo)
1st flight after 1 week
Heart rate, palm temp. + muscular tension recorded during take off
- Techniques of “stop thinking” + brief relaxation in natural situations with phobic
stimulus
40
CAPAFONS ET AL. (1998): Systematic desensitization in the treatment of
fear of flying
Aim: to validate effectiveness of systematic desensitisation as treatment for fear of flying
and to assess therapeutic success of SD when applied to this type of specific phobia
Lab experiment
IV: conditions pps were in
- Treatment group
- Control group waiting for therapy
DV: level of fear of flying
1) Diagnosis of fear with IDG-FV
2) EMV for fear during flight
3) EPAV for catastrophic thoughts
4) Physiological measures
Sample: volunteers from media campaign advertising free intervention programmes for
fear of flying
41 pps scared of flying
- 20 randomly assigned to treatment group (8M + 12 F)
- 21 waiting control group (9M + 12F)
Matched pairs design: balanced in terms of age, gender, strength of fear + physical measures
Procedure: interview about fear of flying e.g. life history
Fear of flying scale measured anxiety levels in different flying situations
39
, 3 EMV scales measured fear :
- during flight
- of preliminaries e.g. going to airport
- without involvement e.g see plane
2 EPAV scales measure catastrophic thoughts (e.g. engine catching fire, wing falls off)
+ how much they thought they’d have a physical reaction to flying
Habituation session: pp acquainted with situation
Video of trip on plane from packing to touchdown
Pps asked to “feel as involved as possible” in the video
Physical measures while watching video simulation at take off point before flight
- Heart rate
- Muscular tension
- Skin temperature
Interview to explain of treatment for therapy group / next assessment session for waiting
control group
Treatment: at uni 2 1-hour sessions per week = 12/15 in total
- Training in muscular relaxation + breathing techniques
- Imagined situation (in vitro)
- Real-life situations (in vivo)
1st flight after 1 week
Heart rate, palm temp. + muscular tension recorded during take off
- Techniques of “stop thinking” + brief relaxation in natural situations with phobic
stimulus
40
