One-session treatment of specific phobias in youths: A randomized clinicaltrial

Sixty children, ages 7-17 years, who fulfilled Diagnostic and Statistical M anual of Mental Disorders (4th ed.; American Psychiatric Association, 1994) diagnosis for various specific phobias were randomized to (a) I-session ex posure treatment alone, (b) I-session treatment with a parent present, or ( c) wait-list control group for 4 weeks. After the waiting period, the wait- list patients were rerandomized to the active treatments. The patients' pho bias were assessed with behavioral approach tests (approach behavior, exper ienced anxiety, and physiological reactions), whereas general anxiety, depr ession, phobic tendencies, and: anxiety sensitivity were assessed with self -report inventories. Assessments were done pre-, post-, and I-year followin g treatment. Results showed that both treatment conditions did significantl y better than the control condition, whereas the treatment groups did equal ly well on most measures, and the effects were maintained at follow-up, The implications of these results are discussed.