A Spiderless Arachnophobia Therapy: Comparison between Placebo and Treatment Groups and Six-Month Follow-Up Study

A Spiderless Arachnophobia Therapy: Comparison between Placebo and Treatment Groups and Six-Month Follow-Up Study

We describe a new arachnophobia therapy that is specially suited for those individuals with severe arachnophobia who are reluctant to undergo direct or even virtual exposure treatments. In this therapy, patients attend a computer presentation of images that, while not being spiders, have a subset of...

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Main Authors: Laura Carmilo Granado, Ronald Ranvaud, Javier Ropero Peláez
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Hindawi Limited 2007-01-01
Series:Neural Plasticity
Online Access:http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2007/10241
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spelling doaj-2dc950ffe25643b98fe9f5ed2a96fc4b2020-11-24T22:05:06ZengHindawi LimitedNeural Plasticity2090-59041687-54432007-01-01200710.1155/2007/1024110241A Spiderless Arachnophobia Therapy: Comparison between Placebo and Treatment Groups and Six-Month Follow-Up StudyLaura Carmilo Granado0Ronald Ranvaud1Javier Ropero Peláez2Institute of Psychology, University of São Paulo, 1721 Avenue of Professor Mello Moraes, São Paulo 05508-030, BrazilDepartment of Physiology and Biophysics, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, University of São Paulo, 1524 Avenue Professor Lineu Prestes, Prédio Biomédicas I Cidade Universitária, São Paulo 05508-900, BrazilDepartment of Electronic Systems Engineering, Polytechnic School, University of São Paulo, 802 Rua Alameda Barros, Apartment T3, São Paulo 01232-000, BrazilWe describe a new arachnophobia therapy that is specially suited for those individuals with severe arachnophobia who are reluctant to undergo direct or even virtual exposure treatments. In this therapy, patients attend a computer presentation of images that, while not being spiders, have a subset of the characteristics of spiders. The Atomium of Brussels is an example of such an image. The treatment group (n=13) exhibited a significant improvement (time × group interaction: P=.0026) when compared to the placebo group (n=12) in a repeated measures multivariate ANOVA. A k-means clustering algorithm revealed that, after 4 weeks of treatment, 42% of the patients moved from the arachnophobic to the nonarachnophobic cluster. Six months after concluding the treatment, a follow-up study showed a substantial consolidation of the recovery process where 92% of the arachnophobic patients moved to the nonarachnophobic cluster.http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2007/10241
collection DOAJ
language English
format Article
sources DOAJ
author Laura Carmilo Granado
Ronald Ranvaud
Javier Ropero Peláez
spellingShingle Laura Carmilo Granado
Ronald Ranvaud
Javier Ropero Peláez
A Spiderless Arachnophobia Therapy: Comparison between Placebo and Treatment Groups and Six-Month Follow-Up Study
Neural Plasticity
author_facet Laura Carmilo Granado
Ronald Ranvaud
Javier Ropero Peláez
author_sort Laura Carmilo Granado
title A Spiderless Arachnophobia Therapy: Comparison between Placebo and Treatment Groups and Six-Month Follow-Up Study
title_short A Spiderless Arachnophobia Therapy: Comparison between Placebo and Treatment Groups and Six-Month Follow-Up Study
title_full A Spiderless Arachnophobia Therapy: Comparison between Placebo and Treatment Groups and Six-Month Follow-Up Study
title_fullStr A Spiderless Arachnophobia Therapy: Comparison between Placebo and Treatment Groups and Six-Month Follow-Up Study
title_full_unstemmed A Spiderless Arachnophobia Therapy: Comparison between Placebo and Treatment Groups and Six-Month Follow-Up Study
title_sort spiderless arachnophobia therapy: comparison between placebo and treatment groups and six-month follow-up study
publisher Hindawi Limited
series Neural Plasticity
issn 2090-5904
1687-5443
publishDate 2007-01-01
description We describe a new arachnophobia therapy that is specially suited for those individuals with severe arachnophobia who are reluctant to undergo direct or even virtual exposure treatments. In this therapy, patients attend a computer presentation of images that, while not being spiders, have a subset of the characteristics of spiders. The Atomium of Brussels is an example of such an image. The treatment group (n=13) exhibited a significant improvement (time × group interaction: P=.0026) when compared to the placebo group (n=12) in a repeated measures multivariate ANOVA. A k-means clustering algorithm revealed that, after 4 weeks of treatment, 42% of the patients moved from the arachnophobic to the nonarachnophobic cluster. Six months after concluding the treatment, a follow-up study showed a substantial consolidation of the recovery process where 92% of the arachnophobic patients moved to the nonarachnophobic cluster.
url http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2007/10241
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