Proceedings of the 1st International Conference on Intervention and Applied Psychology (ICIAP 2017)

Systematic Desensitization for Treating Specific Phobia of Earthworms: An In Vivo Exposure Study

Authors
Martin Herdiansyah, Nathanael J. Sumampouw
Corresponding Author
Martin Herdiansyah
Available Online September 2017.
DOI
10.2991/iciap-17.2018.33How to use a DOI?
Keywords
systematic desensitization, specific phobia, progressive relaxation
Abstract

Systematic desensitization was used to overcome the earthworm phobia of a 20-year-old female who is a college student majoring in Linguistics. This treatment is important because she will conduct a Real Work Lecture (K2N) related to plantation activities. Her earthworm phobia is considered to interfere with her K2N activities. Systematic desensitization, a behavioral treatment with in vivo exposure technique, was selected to overcome the client’s phobia. Treatment was conducted in six individual sessions within 10 days. A progressive relaxation technique was also performed at the beginning of each treatment session to provide a relaxing effect on the client before the treatment. Results were measured using the Scale of Subjective Units of Discomfort (SUDS). The SUDS score significantly decreased from 95 prior to the treatment to 30 after the treatment. The SUDS form was given to the client at the end of each session to determine changes in the scale after the treatment. Follow up was qualitatively conducted by interviewing the client 1 year after the implementation of the treatment. Follow up was qualitatively conducted by interviewing the client 1 year after the implementation of the treatment, and the client reported that she is still able to control her fear when she faces earthworms.

Copyright
© 2018, the Authors. Published by Atlantis Press.
Open Access
This is an open access article distributed under the CC BY-NC license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/).

Download article (PDF)

Volume Title
Proceedings of the 1st International Conference on Intervention and Applied Psychology (ICIAP 2017)
Series
Advances in Social Science, Education and Humanities Research
Publication Date
September 2017
ISBN
978-94-6252-518-4
ISSN
2352-5398
DOI
10.2991/iciap-17.2018.33How to use a DOI?
Copyright
© 2018, the Authors. Published by Atlantis Press.
Open Access
This is an open access article distributed under the CC BY-NC license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/).

Cite this article

TY  - CONF
AU  - Martin Herdiansyah
AU  - Nathanael J. Sumampouw
PY  - 2017/09
DA  - 2017/09
TI  - Systematic Desensitization for Treating Specific Phobia of Earthworms: An In Vivo Exposure Study
BT  - Proceedings of the 1st International Conference on Intervention and Applied Psychology (ICIAP 2017)
PB  - Atlantis Press
SP  - 381
EP  - 390
SN  - 2352-5398
UR  - https://doi.org/10.2991/iciap-17.2018.33
DO  - 10.2991/iciap-17.2018.33
ID  - Herdiansyah2017/09
ER  -