Computer-assisted soliloquy as an approach to psychotherapy.

TitleComputer-assisted soliloquy as an approach to psychotherapy.
Publication TypeJournal Article
Year of Publication1990
AuthorsSLACK WV, Porter D, Balkin P, Kowaloff HB, Slack CW
JournalMD Comput
Volume7
Issue1
Pagination37-42, 58
Date Published1990 Jan-Feb
ISSN0724-6811
KeywordsAdult, Anxiety, Humans, Interview, Psychological, Male, Psychotherapy, Relaxation, Therapy, Computer-Assisted
Abstract

Schools of talking therapy generally consider the doctor-patient relationship to be essential to the therapeutic process. Yet studies reveal that the presence of a therapist can sometimes inhibit frank disclosure and that patients will speak alone, in the absence of a therapist, about matters of importance to them. We have programmed a computer interview to facilitate soliloquy and have studied its effectiveness. Encouraged by the computer, subjects talked into a microphone first about anxiety-provoking circumstances and then about relaxation. Both mean heart rate and State anxiety scores fell significantly between the beginning and the end of the interview.

Alternate JournalMD Comput
PubMed ID2308504
Grant ListLM 03393 / LM / NLM NIH HHS / United States