Active - imaginal exposure : examination of a new behavioral 46 treatment for cynophobia ( dog phobia )

54 The aims of this study were to investigate exposure-based treatments for cynophobia (dog phobia) and 55 to test a newly developed hybrid imaginal exposure treatment that we have named active imaginal exposure. 56 The treatment introduces an in vivo coping component to imaginal exposure whereby the patient physically 57 performs coping responses to an imagined feared stimulus. Eighty-two participants meeting DSM-IV cri58 teria for specific phobia (animal subtype) were randomly assigned to one of three 30-min. treatments: (a) 59 active-imaginal exposure (AI), b) imaginal exposure alone (IE), or (c) graduated in vivo exposure (IV). 60 Participants completed a behavioral approach test at pre, post, and four-week follow-up. Significant pre61 to posttreatment improvement was observed in all three treatment conditions. Response rates at posttreat62 ment were 51.9, 62.1, and 73.1% for the IE, AI, and IV groups respectively. Likewise, effect sizes at 63 posttreatment were 0.76, 1.41, and 1.55 for the IE, AI, and IV groups respectively. Although in the predicted 64 direction, the between group differences were not significant. A similar pattern of results was observed at 65 follow-up. Further, safety behavior utilization during treatment was associated with less improvement— 66 particularly in the two imaginal treatment conditions. Exposure treatments of dog phobia appear feasible 67 and effective in reducing phobic fear and avoidance associated with dog phobia. Furthermore, preliminary 68 evidence suggests that our active-imaginal exposure treatment may be a viable alternative to in vivo 69 exposure. 70  2003 Published by Elsevier Science Ltd.