Contemporary study - Capafons et al (1998) Flashcards
What were the 3 aims ?
- To asses the effectiveness of SD in treatment of fear of flying
- To see whether fear of flying reduced spontaneously without treatment
- To demonstrate that SD remains comparable in effectiveness with newer therapies
How many participants were there ?
41 = 20 experimental (8 males & 12 females) , 21 controls (9 males & 12 females)
What did the control group consist of ?
No treatment but were on waiting list for SD, received treatment after
What was the IV ?
Treatment vs no treatment
What was the DV ?
Fear of flying
How was fear of flying measured ?
- Fear of Flying Scale
- Scales of Expectations of Danger & Anxiety
- Physiological measurements = recording muscle tension & heart rate
Were participants tested individually ?
Yes
How many occasions were they tested ?
2 = one for completing anxiety scales & one for physiological measurements
What was the environment like ?
- 5x3.5m
- Sat 1.8m away from TV
- temp = 22.5 degrees celsius
- At a university
What did participants do ?
- Recieved 12-15 one hour sessions twice per week
- Created own anxiety hierarchy
- In vivo & in vitro
- Used own imagination, videos of flight situations & real flying situation at end
What were participants taught to remain calm ?
- Breathing techniques
- Muscle relaxation
- Visualization techniques
What were the results in the control group ?
No significant differences of any measures of anxiety between 1st & 2nd assessment
What were the results in the control group ?
- Highly significant reductions in reported anxiety
- All physiological measures except body temp reduced before & after treatment
How many participants had significant reductions in symptoms ?
90%
What did they conclude ?
- SD highly effective treatment for fear of flying
- No evidence of spontaneous recovery without treatment
What was the mean for fear during flight for the control group ?
25.81
What was the mean for fear for the treatment group ?
13.25
What was the mean score for avoidance behaviour for the treatment group after intervention ?
Decreased by 2.08
How does the study lack generalisability ?
- Ethnocentric
- Poor to other phobias
- Small sample size
How is the study generalisable ?
Matched pairs on gender, age & self reported fear level
How is the study reliable ?
- Standardised procedures
- Triangulation = test retest
How is the study high in internal validity ?
- Lab experiments = controlled EVs
- Quantitative dat = objective
How does the study lack ecological validity ?
Lab experiment
How does the study lack internal validity ?
No improvement in body temperature & fear without involvement of flying
