Abstract Specific phobias are the most prevalent anxiety disorder. Over the past 20 years, exposure‐based treatments have been identified as highly effective treatments for specific phobias. The present chapter provides a brief overview of the phenomenology, etiology, and maintenance of specific phobias, followed by a more thorough discussion of the assessment and treatment of specific phobias. The chapter emphasizes exposure‐based treatments for specific phobias, highlighting the process of developing an exposure hierarchy, the characteristics of successful exposure practices, and strategies for maximizing homework compliance. Other treatment approaches are also reviewed. The chapter concludes with a case example illustrating the assessment and treatment of a patient with a specific phobia of elevators.
Authors
Nowakowski ME; Rogojanski J; Antony MM
Book title
The Wiley Handbook of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy