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Multimedia intervention for specific phobias: A clinical and experimental study

2020; Cologio Oficial de Psicólogos del Principado; Volume: 3; Issue: 32 Linguagem: Inglês

10.7334/psicothema2020.87

0214-9915

Antonio Ruiz García, Luís Valero Aguayo,

Anxiety, Depression, Psychometrics, Treatment, Cognitive Processes

espanolAntecedentes: la exposicion es el tratamiento de eleccion para las fobias especificas. Se presenta un estudio experimental y clinico sobre la eficacia del procedimiento de exposicion progresiva multimedia en fobias especificas. Metodo: participaron 36 personas, 7 hombres y 29 mujeres (media 29 anos), con distintos tipos de fobias especificas. Se utilizo un diseno entre-grupos con medidas repetidas (3×4), incluyendo varios seguimientos hasta 3 anos. Los participantes se asignaron a diferentes grupos: Experimental (10), Lista de Espera (12) y Control (14). Como evaluacion se utilizo un Test de Evitacion Conductual (BAT) con ansiedad subjetiva y tasa cardiaca ante imagenes y videos, cuestionarios generales de ansiedad y especificos de cada fobia. La intervencion se realizo en cuatro fases de exposicion multimedia: fotografias, videos, estimulos simulados y estimulacion real. Resultados: la ansiedad y la evitacion se redujeron de forma significativa en el grupo experimental, con un tamano del efecto muy elevado (entre d = 1.37 y 5.37). No hubo cambios significativos en el Grupo Control, ni en el Grupo Lista de Espera. Conclusion: el tratamiento tuvo una repercusion clinicamente significativa en la vida diaria de los participantes. Este procedimiento multimedia ha mostrado su eficacia, con pocos recursos, permitiendo adaptarse siempre a las caracteristicas individuales de los participantes. EnglishBackground: Exposure is the treatment of choice for specific phobias. We present an experimental and clinical study on the efficacy of the progressive multimedia exposure procedure for specific phobias. Method: The sample size consisted of 36 individuals, 7 men and 29 women (mean age: 29 years old), with different types of specific phobias. A combined between-groups (3x4) with repeated measures design was used, including several follow-ups up to 3 years. Participants were assigned to different groups: Experimental (10), Waiting List (12), and Control (14). As an evaluation method, a Behavioural Avoidance Test (BAT) with subjective anxiety and heart rate was used for images and videos, plus general and specific anxiety questionnaires for each phobia. The intervention was carried out in four phases of multimedia exposure: photographs, videos, simulated stimuli, and real stimulation. Results: Anxiety and avoidance were significantly reduced in the experimental group, with a very large effect size (between d = 1.37 and 5.37). There were no significant changes in either the Control Group or the Waiting List Group. Conclusions: The treatment had a clinically significant impact on the daily life of the participants. This multimedia procedure was shown to be effective and to use few resources, thus allowing it to always be adapted to the individual characteristics of the participants.