BEHAVIORAL INTERVENTION TO REDUCE CHILD DISTRESS DURING SELF-INJECTION

We investigated the effects of a cognitive-behavioral treatment packag e on reduction of anticipatory fear of pain during self-administered i nsulin injections. Two patients diagnosed with insulin-dependent diabe tes mellitus participated. An ABAB design was employed; the interventi on conditions consisted of cue-controlled breathing, filmed modeling, pacing, and reinforcement. A substantial reduction in the mean time fo r injection and a reduction in behaviors indicative of anticipatory di stress were achieved under intervention conditions. The clinical impor tance of the study is discussed and areas for future research are iden tified.