The treatment of homosexuality by ‘assisted’ covert sensitization

Covert sensitization is a procedure which pairs imagined scenes of an unwanted behavior, such as homosexuality, with scenes aversive to the patient, in an effort to diminish the strength of a given response. It has been employed in the treatment of a host of maladaptive approach behavior (Cautela, 1967). However, only anecdotal or single-case reports (Barlow et al., 1969; Cautela, 1966, 1967; Gold and Neufeld, 1965) have appeared regarding the treatment of homosexuality, and these have been unanimously positive. It was disappointing, therefore, in applying this technique to homosexuals, to find it ineffective. One patient complained that the stimuli ‘were not strong enough’. Another could not adequately visualize noxious scenes. This report describes our development of a bolstered from of covert sensitization, demonstrates its application to the treatment of homosexuals and provides follow-up data to evaluate the adequacy of such treatment.