Eliminating fears: An intervention that permanently eliminates the fear of public speaking

摘要

This study examines the ability of a novel psychological treatment to eliminate anxiety, using fear of public speaking as a test case. The treatment was designed specifically to eliminate beliefs and decondition stimuli that are responsible for dysfunctional behaviors and emotions. A random half of the subjects received treatment immediately while wait-listed control subjects were treated three to four weeks later. After having engaged in an actual public speaking experience, subjects' self-reported ratings showed significant reductions in fearfulness, physical sensations and cognitive difficulties often associated with speaking in public. The evidence strongly suggests that fear of public speaking was virtually eliminated and we propose that it holds promise as an intervention that might be effective in treating many other disorders. Copyright (c) 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.