Which therapy technique combines relaxation with graded exposure to feared situations?

Which therapy technique combines relaxation with graded exposure to feared situations?

• A. Systematic Desensitization
• B. Counter Conditioning
• C. Modeling
• D. Psychosis

Answer: (A)

Relaxation paired with gradual exposure is the hallmark of systematic desensitization. The idea is to teach a calm, relaxed state first and then pair that state with increasingly challenging but controlled exposure to what’s feared. By using a hierarchy of situations—from mildly anxious to highly feared—and practicing in a relaxed posture, the body learns to stay calm as the fear-provoking stimuli are approached. Over repeated, graduated exposure, the fear response weakens through habituation and extinction, so the person can approach the feared situations without the same level of anxiety. This makes it especially effective for phobias and anxiety disorders because it directly targets the two core elements of fear: the physiological arousal and the avoidance that maintains it. In contrast, other options involve different techniques—counterconditioning would focus on replacing one conditioned response with another, modeling relies on watching others’ behavior, and psychosis is not a therapy technique.

Relaxation paired with gradual exposure is the hallmark of systematic desensitization. The idea is to teach a calm, relaxed state first and then pair that state with increasingly challenging but controlled exposure to what’s feared. By using a hierarchy of situations—from mildly anxious to highly feared—and practicing in a relaxed posture, the body learns to stay calm as the fear-provoking stimuli are approached. Over repeated, graduated exposure, the fear response weakens through habituation and extinction, so the person can approach the feared situations without the same level of anxiety.

This makes it especially effective for phobias and anxiety disorders because it directly targets the two core elements of fear: the physiological arousal and the avoidance that maintains it. In contrast, other options involve different techniques—counterconditioning would focus on replacing one conditioned response with another, modeling relies on watching others’ behavior, and psychosis is not a therapy technique.