Many children with Williams syndrome show fears and anxieties that interfere with their functioning and with family functioning. Play- and Humor-Infused Gradual Exposure Therapy is a developmentally-informed cognitive-behavioral therapy approach to reduce anxiety and fear.
Cognitive-behavioral therapy for fears and anxieties have shown benefit, BUT:
- There is little research with children under age 8
- There is little research with children with neurodevelopmental conditions of different kinds that include developmental delays
- Karen Levine, Ph.D. has described Replays as a promising approach:
- There is research supporting some components of the approach (e.g., gradual exposure, systematic desensitization)
- Recent research by our team (Klein-Tasman, et al., 2022) suggests that a playful, interactive humorous approach may be useful for children with Williams syndrome and specific phobias
The approach described in this website encourages contact with the feared object (i.e., exposure) in the absence of a fear response, gradually moving from less intense to more intense contact (i.e., gradual exposure, systematic desensitization), working to establish a new, nonfearful response to the feared situation. By using play and humor, the child is encouraged to interact with a fear- or anxiety-provoking object or situation in a new way. Play and humor are used to encourage continued engagement with the feared stimulus or situation without fear and anxiety.
Please watch the video tutorial below or read the PDF.