Learned aversions to chemotherapy treatment

Recent advances in behavioral psychology and its application in medical settings have yielded effective methods for reducing distress in patients undergoing cancer treatment. This article focuses on the control of anticipatory nausea and vomiting in patients receiving chemotherapy. Four behavioral methods (i.e., hypnosis used with guided imagery, progressive muscle relaxation training with imagery, biofeedback with imagery, and systematic desensitization) are evaluated. Clinical issues and the relevance of behavioral medicine to health education are addressed.