C. Schwartz et al., THE BEHAVIORAL TREATMENT OF A YOUNG-ADULT WITH POST TRAUMATIC STRESS DISORDER AND A FEAR OF CHILDREN, Child & family behavior therapy, 19(1), 1997, pp. 37-49
In vivo desensitization and self-modeling were evaluated for effective
ness in treating a 29-year-old female with an intense fear of children
. Previous to, and independent of this study, this subject was diagnos
ed as having post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) stemming from a his
tory of childhood abuse. The subject had been treated for PTSD without
any impact on her reported fear of children. Initial assessments incl
uded behavioral, physiological, and self-report measures of fear, anxi
ety, and avoidance which all indicated a phobic level of response. Nin
eteen sessions were conducted over a 6 month period. Sessions involved
in vivo exposure to a number of situations involving children and als
o included edited videotaped self-modeling. Following treatment, the s
ubject stopped avoiding situations involving children, heart rate and
blood pressure decreased slightly, confidence increased, and multiple
fears in the client's life were reduced. A 5-month follow-up supported
the treatment results.