Desensitization Procedure (Noun)
Meaning
A technique used in behavior therapy to treat phobias and other behavior problems involving anxiety; client is exposed to the threatening situation under relaxed conditions until the anxiety reaction is extinguished.
Classification
Nouns denoting acts or actions.
Examples
- The therapist recommended a desensitization procedure to help the client overcome her fear of spiders.
- The goal of the desensitization procedure was to teach the client to relax in the presence of the feared object, a snake.
- The desensitization procedure involved gradually exposing the client to feared situations, starting with small steps, to reduce anxiety.
- The therapist guided the client through a desensitization procedure, starting with imagining the feared situation, then progressing to real-life exposure.
- The desensitization procedure was a gradual process, allowing the client to become comfortable with the feared stimulus, a crowded room, over time.
Synonyms
- Desensitisation Procedure
- Systematic Desensitisation
- Systematic Desensitization
- Desensitization Technique
- Desensitisation Technique