The Habituation information sheets are designed to help clinicians to explain the concept of habituation and its role in exposure therapy.
Offers theory, guidance, and prompts for mental health professionals. Downloads are in Fillable PDF format where appropriate.
Includes client-friendly guidance. Downloads are in Fillable PDF format where appropriate.
Traditional models of exposure therapy are based on the behavioral principle of habituation. In an exposure trial, habituation occurs when a person's fear response to a stimulus decreases after repeated exposures to that stimulus. The Habituation information handout explains the concept of habituation and its importance in exposure therapy. It discusses key topics including expectations (e.g., appraisals and predictions) when fear escalates, the role of avoidance in maintaining fear, and the effects of exposure.
This resource is a valuable tool for introducing the concept of habituation to clients.
Intense, persistent, and disproportionate fear of particular objects or situations.
Recurrent, unexpected panic attacks and ongoing fear about having further attacks or their consequences.
Distressing, intrusive thoughts (obsessions) and repetitive behaviours or mental acts (compulsions) performed to prevent feared outcomes.
Intense fear of social situations where one might be judged, embarrassed, or scrutinised.
Identify clients who might benefit from exposure therapy.
Use the handout to explain the concept of habituation.
Highlight how exposure therapy promotes habituation and reduces fear.
Design exposure trials based on the principles of habituation.
Traditional models of exposure therapy are built upon the behavioral foundation of habituation. During an exposure trial habituation is said to occur when a fear response to a stimulus diminishes following repeated presentations of the stimulus.
When providing the rationale for exposure, therapists explain that repeated and prolonged exposure (during which safety behaviours are not used) leads to a reduction in anxiety during the exposure session, and across sessions. A clinical guideline which is often used to determine the length of an exposure session is a 50% reduction from the starting level of anxiety, and in which anxiety-reducing behaviors are judged not to have been responsible for the anxiety decrease.
The Habituation information sheets are designed to help clinicians to explain the concept of habituation and its role in exposure therapy. The handout discusses: expectations (appraisals, predictions) when fear increases quickly, the role of avoidance in the maintenance of fear, and the effects of exposure.
Clinicians should be aware that newer understandings of exposure therapy based upon inhibitory learning theory (ILT) place less emphasis upon the importance of habituation. The ILT model emphasises the important of client learning during exposure trials and de-emphasises the important of within-session habituation. Nevertheless, habituation remains a helpful way of socialising clients to exposure therapy.
