Systematic desensitization is a procedure by which new behaviors are learned in response to stimuli that previously elicited other behaviors. Information giving, relaxation training, establishment of hierarchies, and counterconditioning procedures are included in the strategy. Recently, rational or balanced self-talk and active participation have been added as components of systematic desensitization procedures. Although the procedure was developed and used primarily in clinical settings, it has proved helpful in reducing test anxiety and curing school phobia (Coleman, 1966).
Rationale
Some behaviors are exhibited because they have been previously paired with stimuli that elicit them. Many reflexive or emotional responses are learned in this way. Two classic examples are the salivation of Pavlov’s dog in response to meat powder and ringing bells and the fear response of little Albert in Watson’s experiment with a rat and a loud noise. If problem behaviors can be learned through this procedure, so too can more favorable responses be established in response to stimuli that previously elicited negative, problematic behavior. In addition, systematic desensitization teaches a student to cope with anxiety instead of replacing it. The student learns to mediate tension and learns a general skill for coping with anxiety (Coleman, 1966: Goldfried, 1971).
Implementation Phases
Systematic desensitization is implemented in the following steps:
- Present the student with basic information about how behaviors are learned. For example, the student could be told that sometimes neutral things such as music, when paired with emotion provoking things such as playing music during a horror movie, will elicit certain behaviors (fear) that the music alone would not normally elicit.
- Isolate the factors within the student’s life experiences that have had or are currently having anxiety-producing or fearful effects, and explain how systematic desensitization helps overcome these fears.
- Teach the student alternately to relax and tense various muscle groups in a systematic order (facial areas, shoulders, neck, upper back, arms, hands, chest, stomach, lower back, hips, thighs, calves, feet, and finally, the complete body). Remind the student how the muscles feel when tensed and note that these sensations will serve as a future cue when trying to relax away the tension. Direct the student to focus on the relaxation sensations, because it is important to distinguish between tension and relaxed states.
- Teach correct breathing for relaxation with the cue to think of the stomach as a balloon and to inhale to blow up the balloon with air. Air is inhaled through the nose, first to the lower stomach, then to the middle rib cage, and lastly to the upper chest. It is exhaled in the same manner.
- With the student, list the anxiety-producing stimuli in hierarchical order from most anxiety producing stimuli to least. For example, a student who fears and refuses to attend high school may rank getting ready for school the least anxiety producing and being at school the most.
- Direct the student to relax using the relaxation exercises, and then present the stimulus from the lowest level of the hierarchy. For example, ask the student to visualize the activity (getting ready for school), and remind the student to relax as soon as the muscles start tensing. In this manner, the eliciting stimulus (getting ready for school) is paired with a pleasurable response (relaxation).
- When the student is relaxing while thinking of the unpleasant stimuli, introduce balanced self talk such as “So what if I cry in school, I am still an okay person in other ways”. Try to help the student identify unrealistic thoughts and to evaluate the thoughts realistically. For example, a fear of loss of self-control may be addressed with such teacher-directed questions as “Have you ever lost control before?” or “Are all people always 100 percent in control?” Continue with relaxation and self-talk until the highest level of the hierarchy (being at school) is presented to the student. How relaxed the student remains determines the time frame for introduction of the various anxiety-producing stimuli. It is rare for the whole hierarchy of stimuli to be presented to the student during one session.
- During class time, remind the student with cue words such as ‘relax’ and ‘calm down’ to use relaxation and balanced self-talk during anxious moments.
Variations of the above procedure simply introduce the eliciting stimuli when the student is engaged in an activity that is incompatible with, or more powerful than, the previously evolved response. For example, bringing a mouse that previously frightened the student into a room when the student is enthusiastically playing with toys is likely to prevent the fearful responses. Systematically manipulating the distance and visibility of the mouse results in a reduction of its fear-evoking tendencies.
Practical Applications
Lupin (1977) describes a systematic desensitization program used with Susie, a student who was in a special education classroom for two years. Susie had little self-confidence and could not perform her work. Through the use of relaxation tapes (Peace, Harmony, Awareness) and realistic self-talk such as “I do things better when I relax” (Lupin, 1977, p. xiv), Susie progressed from attending the regular classroom for lunch and music classes (stimuli that produced the least anxiety in her hierarchy) to language arts and math (the most anxiety-producing). Lupin further elaborates that the parents eagerly participated by reminding Susie to relax at home when she began to be frustrated during homework assignments.
A graduate student at the University of Florida used desensitization techniques during her special education practicum. The teacher noticed that the students became very anxious during the reading time in the corrective reading program. Before each reading session, the practicum teacher introduced relaxation exercises involving tensing muscles and breathing deeply. Her balanced self talk included such things as “So what if we goof up today, we’ll have another chance tomorrow”. Results showed that the training decreased the staccato pattern of oral reading often displayed by students during the timing. In turn, the reading rate increased for all students.
Advantages
The advantages of systematic desensitization are:
- Students learn an independent and self-reliant skill for coping with anxiety.
- Students improve their ability to concentrate (Lupin, 1977).
- The procedures are not expensive to implement.
Disadvantages
The disadvantages of systematic desensitization are:
- Teaching relaxation and related procedures is an unfamiliar role for the teacher, since the process is most often used in clinical settings.
- Students may have difficulty visualizing appropriate situations.
- The transfer from desensitization sessions to real-life experiences is often difficult to accomplish.
- Use of the technique is limited to verbal students who are able to participate in positive self-talk.
Summary
Systematic desensitization procedures can work with students who are anxious or tense, lack self confidence, or are hyperactive. The student is taught to relax, then to order anxiety-producing stimuli from least to most troublesome. While in the relaxed state, the student is asked to visualize the lowest anxiety-producing situation and urged to continue the relaxation while monitoring muscle tenseness and using positive self-talk.
Eventually, the highest anxiety-producing situation is visualized and paired with relaxation and realistic and balanced self-talk. The teacher helps the student to generalize the behavior during real situations with cue words such as ‘relax’ and ‘stay calm’. Although in the past, desensitization was not a common technique for teachers due to the lack of training, commercial programs such as Lupin’s Peace, Harmony, Awareness make such techniques currently available for all teachers.