Employing paradoxical intention in the treatment of agoraphobia

The present study assessed the efficacy of paradoxical intention in ameliorating the travel restriction of agoraphobics. A combined score indicating proximity to two difficult target locations represented the dependent variable. A multiple baseline across subjects was used with each of two groups of five clients. This was accomplished by sequentially staggering introduction of treatment. At the conclusion of baseline phase. Group A received 6 weeks of gradual exposure followed by paradoxical intention to criterion. Group B received paradoxical intention to criterion immediately after baseline. Results indicated that paradoxical intention produced greater movement toward targets for clients in Group B when compared both with their baseline and with the performance of Group A following an equal period of gradual exposure.