Systematic desensitization involves...

Systematic desensitization involves...

• A. Rapid flooding with no preparation
• B. Cognitive rehearsal only
• C. Interviewing client about fears
• D. Gradual exposure with relaxation to reduce anxiety

Answer: (D)

Systematic desensitization works by pairing a relaxation response with gradually increasing exposure to feared situations, so anxiety is replaced with calm as the client moves through a fear hierarchy. The key idea is gradual exposure along with a learned relaxation technique (like progressive muscle relaxation or deep breathing), which creates reciprocal inhibition and weakens the fear response over time. This differs from rapid flooding (which involves intense, unprepared exposure), cognitive rehearsal only (which targets thoughts without the controlled relaxation during exposure), and interviewing about fears (which is mainly assessment rather than treatment).

Systematic desensitization works by pairing a relaxation response with gradually increasing exposure to feared situations, so anxiety is replaced with calm as the client moves through a fear hierarchy. The key idea is gradual exposure along with a learned relaxation technique (like progressive muscle relaxation or deep breathing), which creates reciprocal inhibition and weakens the fear response over time. This differs from rapid flooding (which involves intense, unprepared exposure), cognitive rehearsal only (which targets thoughts without the controlled relaxation during exposure), and interviewing about fears (which is mainly assessment rather than treatment).