Systematic Desensitization Therapy: An Analysis of Results in Twenty-seven Patients

Abstract

A report of 27 patients who were treated with systematic desensitization therapy is presented. An evaluation of the outcome of treatment was provided both by the therapists and by an independent judge who rated the patients, from case summaries, on a scale of general improvement, a scale of improvement in symptom severity, and a scale which included improvement in occupational, social, sexual, and general satisfaction spheres. For the group, the results indicated noteworthy improvement in a relatively small number of sessions. Correlations between a number of treatment variables and outcome are presented. A discussion of the results and of possible reasons for failure in some of the cases is given, together with a description of certain difficulties encountered in the treatment.