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Graded Exposure Therapy for Long-Standing Disgust-Related Cockroach Avoidance in an Older Male

Nepean Anxiety Disorders Clinic, Sydney West Area Health Service

This case study outlines the use of graded in-vivo exposure to reduce an aversion to cockroaches in an older male. Following assessment, seven therapy sessions of in-vivo exposure were conducted where the client was progressively brought into closer and closer contact with cockroaches. A decrease in the client's aversion to cockroaches was apparent at posttreatment and persisted to 5-month follow-up, as evidenced by client reports and decreased behavioral avoidance. The client maintained that his avoidance had been driven by disgust, rather than fear, and the reduction of his avoidance of and aversion to cockroaches indicates that approaches developed for fearful clients may also be effective for clients who do not report fear responses to their avoided stimuli.

Key Words: exposure therapy • in-vivo exposure • disgust • avoidance • specific phobia • cockroach

Clinical Case Studies, Vol. 6, No. 4, 339-347 (2007)
DOI: 10.1177/1534650106288965


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