The treatment of a case of “cardiac neurosis” is described. Using an applied relaxation treatment program the client was taught relaxation as a coping skill to be used when she felt changes in cardiac activity. The therapy was conducted with minimal contact, the client did most of the training on her own with the help of taped instructions. The results showed a definite decrease in severity of the problem during the treatment period, and by the time of the follow-ups at 6 and 21 mo. after treatment, the client was almost completely relieved from these problems.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.
References
1.
BarriosB. A.ShigetomtC. C.Coping-skills training for management of anxiety: a critical review. Behav. Therapy, 1979, 10, 491–522.
2.
BlanchardE. B.AbelG. G.An experimental case study of the biofeedback treatment of a rape-induced psychophysiological cardiovascular disorder. Behav. Therapy, 1976, 7, 113–119.
3.
BleekerE. R.EngelB. T.Learned control of ventricular rate in patients with arterial fibrillation. Psychosom. Med., 1973, 35, 161–175.
4.
BorlovecT. D.Physiological and cognitive processes in the regulation of anxiety. In SchwartzG. E.ShapiroD. (Eds.), Consciousness and self-regulation: advances in research. New York: Plenum, 1976. Pp. 261–312.
5.
EngelB. T.Clinical applications of operant conditioning techniques in the control of cardiac arrhythmias. Sem. in Psychiat., 1973, 5, 433–448.
6.
EngelB. T.BleekerE. R.Application of operant conditioning techniques to the control of cardiac arrhythmias. In ObristP. A.BlackA. H.BrenerJ.DiCaraL. V. (Eds.), Contemporary trends in cardiovascular psychophysiology. Chicago: Aldine-Atherton, 1974. Pp. 456–476.
7.
GoldfriedM. R.DavisonG. C.Clinical behavior therapy. New York: Holt, 1976.
8.
JerremalmA.JohanssonJ.ÖstL-G.Tillämpad avslappning som själv-kontroll teknik vid sociala fobier. Nordisk Tidskr. Bet. Ter., 1980, 9, 35–43.
9.
LangP. J.Fear reduction and fear behavior: problems in treating a construct. In ShlienJ. M. (Ed.), Research in psychotherapy. Washington, D.C.: American Psychological Association, 1968. Pp. 90–102.
10.
MandlerG.MandlerJ. M.UvillerE. T.Autonomic feedback: the perception of autonomic activity. J. abnorm. soc. Psychol., 1958, 56, 367–373.
11.
ÖstL-G.JerremalmA.JohanssonJ.Individual response patterns and the effects of different behavioral methods in social phobia. Behav. Res. & Ther., 1981, 19, 1–16.
12.
RachmamS.HodgsonR.Synchrony and desynchrony in fear and avoidance. Behav. Res. & Ther., 1974, 12, 311–318.
13.
RifkinB. G.The treatment of cardiac neurosis using systematic desensitization. Behav. Res. & Ther., 1968, 6, 239–240.
14.
RusselR. K.SipichJ. F.Cue-controlled relaxation in the treatment of test anxiety. J. behav. Ther. & exp. Psychiat., 1973, 4, 47–49.
15.
WickramasekeraI.Heart rate feedback and the management of cardiac neurosis. J. abnorm. Psychol., 1974, 83, 578–580.
16.
WolpeJ.LangP. J.A fear survey schedule for use in behavior therapy. Behav. Res. & Ther., 1964, 2, 27–30.
