Heterosocial Anxiety in College Females: A Biased Interactions Treatment

A behavioral exposure procedure based on Bem's (1972) self-perception theory using prearranged purposefully biased social interactions with members of the opposite sex was employed to treat heterosocial anxiety in college females. Additionally, subjects received either a positive or negative expectancy for treatment outcome. Results for 20 heterosocially anxious females indicated the biased interaction exposure technique was unaffected by expectancy and caused significant changes in subject's perceived levels of heterosocial anxiety. Improvement also occurred on a self-report (state anxiety) measure and two behavioral (interpersonal distance and conversational silence) measures taken while subjects were in the presence of a male confederate. These results suggested the biased exposure treatment-where the focus was on the observation of one's own successful performance in an area where difficulty is normally encountered-was effective for reducing anxiety in college females. Results are discussed in terms of the unique aspects of this procedure and the possible situations where it might be most useful.