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Review
. 2020 Mar 19:9:F1000 Faculty Rev-195.
doi: 10.12688/f1000research.20082.1. eCollection 2020.

Recent developments in the intervention of specific phobia among adults: a rapid review

Christabel E W Thng  1 , Nikki S J Lim-Ashworth  1 , Brian Z Q Poh  1 , Choon Guan Lim  1
Affiliations
Review

Recent developments in the intervention of specific phobia among adults: a rapid review

Christabel E W Thng et al. F1000Res. .

Abstract

Specific phobia is highly prevalent worldwide. Although the body of intervention studies is expanding, there is a lack of reviews that summarise recent progress and discuss the challenges and direction of research in this area. Hence, this rapid review seeks to systematically evaluate the available evidence in the last five years in the treatment of specific phobias in adults. Studies published between January 2014 to December 2019 were identified through searches on the electronic databases of Medline and PsychINFO. In total, 33 studies were included. Evidence indicates that psychotherapy, and in particular cognitive behaviour therapy, when implemented independently or as an adjunctive, is a superior intervention with large effect sizes. Technology-assisted therapies seem to have a beneficial effect on alleviating fears and are described to be more tolerable than in vivo exposure therapy. Pharmacological agents are investigated solely as adjuncts to exposure therapy, but the effects are inconsistent; propranolol and glucocorticoid may be promising. A handful of cognitive-based therapies designed to alter fear arousal and activation pathways of phobias have presented preliminary, positive outcomes. Challenges remain with the inherent heterogeneity of specific phobia as a disorder and the accompanying variability in outcome measures and intervention approaches to warrant a clear conclusion on efficacy.

Keywords: Specific phobia; intervention; phobia; psychological treatment; virtual reality.

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Conflict of interest statement

No competing interests were disclosed.No competing interests were disclosed.No competing interests were disclosed.

Figures

Figure 1.
Figure 1.. Information about study screening, selection and exclusion.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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