| Abstract: | Flooding (in the imagination and in vivo) and successive approximation were compared in a cross-over design with 14 agoraphobic patients. Assessments were made at the beginning of the treatment, at the cross-over, at the end of the treatment and at the follow-up 3 months later.The assessments were made by the therapist (in vivo measurement) and by the client (phobic anxiety scale; phobic avoidance scale; FSS; MAS; I-E scale and a depression inventory). At the time of the pre-test and the posttest, an independent external judge scored the clients on the following items : anxious mood, specific phobias, obsessive compulsive symptoms, depersonalization and depressed mood.Both methods of treatment resulted in a significant improvement on the in vivo measurements, phobic anxiety scale, phobic avoidance scale and FSS.Successive approximation also led to a significant decrease on the MAS and the I-E scale. The only significant difference between the two methods was shown by the phobic anxiety scale, the mean of the flooding group being significantly higher. |
