Treatment of a case of school phobia by reciprocal inhibition.

Abstract

Behaviour therapy by reciprocal inhibition was undertaken on a moderately severe case of school phobia in an 11-year-old boy after an adequate trial of conventional therapy had failed to bring about lasting improvement. A fairly accurate estimate of expended therapy time follows: First admission to day-school (January 1964): Five initial sessions (30 minutes each) of relaxation by hypnosis. Eighteen sessions (20-30 minutes each) of reciprocal inhibition therapy, presenting an average of four hierarchies per session. Second admission to day-school (September 1964): Fifteen sessions (20-30 minutes each) of reciprocal inhibition therapy, presenting an average of seven hierarchies per session. This form of therapy was undertaken as a learning experience by the author and its very good results are in no way meant to imply that one approach is superior to another. Rather, this paper was prepared as a plea for tolerance on the part of all who concern themselves with the treatment of emotionally disturbed persons.