BACKGROUND Exposure is the treatment of choice for specific phobias. We present an experimental and clinical study on the efficacy of the progressive multimedia exposure procedure for specific phobias. METHOD The sample size consisted of 36 individuals, 7 men and 29 women (mean age: 29 years old), with different types of specific phobias. A combined between-groups (3x4) with repeated measures design was used, including several follow-ups up to 3 years. Participants were assigned to different groups: Experimental (10), Waiting List (12), and Control (14). As an evaluation method, a Behavioural Avoidance Test (BAT) with subjective anxiety and heart rate was used for images and videos, plus general and specific anxiety questionnaires for each phobia. The intervention was carried out in four phases of multimedia exposure: photographs, videos, simulated stimuli, and real stimulation. RESULTS Anxiety and avoidance were significantly reduced in the experimental group, with a very large effect size (between d = 1.37 and 5.37). There were no significant changes in either the Control Group or the Waiting List Group. CONCLUSIONS The treatment had a clinically significant impact on the daily life of the participants. This multimedia procedure was shown to be effective and to use few resources, thus allowing it to always be adapted to the individual characteristics of the participants.

中文翻译：

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针对特定恐惧症的多媒体干预：一项临床和实验研究。

背景暴露是治疗特定恐惧症的首选方法。我们提出了一项关于渐进式多媒体暴露程序对特定恐惧症的功效的实验和临床研究。方法 样本量包括 36 个人，7 名男性和 29 名女性（平均年龄：29 岁），具有不同类型的特定恐惧症。使用具有重复测量设计的组合组间 (3x4)，包括长达 3 年的多次随访。参与者被分配到不同的组：实验组 (10)、等候名单 (12) 和控制组 (14)。作为评估方法，对图像和视频使用具有主观焦虑和心率的行为回避测试 (BAT)，以及针对每种恐惧症的一般和特定焦虑问卷。干预在多媒体曝光的四个阶段进行：照片、视频、模拟刺激和真实刺激。结果 实验组的焦虑和回避显着降低，效应量非常大（在 d = 1.37 和 5.37 之间）。控制组或等候名单组均无重大变化。结论 该治疗对参与者的日常生活产生了具有临床意义的影响。这种多媒体程序被证明是有效的，并且使用的资源很少，因此可以始终适应参与者的个人特征。结论 该治疗对参与者的日常生活产生了具有临床意义的影响。这种多媒体程序被证明是有效的，并且使用的资源很少，因此可以始终适应参与者的个人特征。结论 该治疗对参与者的日常生活产生了具有临床意义的影响。这种多媒体程序被证明是有效的，并且使用的资源很少，因此可以始终适应参与者的个人特征。