Imaginal exposure is a widely used psychological treatment technique. Imaginal extinction is an experimental analogue of imaginal exposure, that allows the study of this treatment technique under controlled circumstances (Agren, Björkstrand, \& Fredrikson, 2017). During imaginal extinction, experimentally induced fear is diminished through repeated exposure to mental imagery of the feared (conditioned) stimulus. However, it is not known to what extent fear reduction depends on the mental imagery produced during this procedure. A better understanding of the mechanisms driving the effects of imaginal exposure and the factors moderating fear reduction could have significant clinical utility, by suggesting mechanistically informed ways to improve this treatment.
The study takes part over three consecutive days, with fear conditioning to visual stimuli on day 1, imaginal extinction on day 2, and a fear reinstatement procedure, again to visual stimuli, on day 3. Skin conductance is used to measure fear responses. Participants' are randomized to receive conditioning, extinction and reinstatement with either complex or simple stimuli. During imaginal extinction, imagery of each experimental stimulus is prompted through different verbal instructions.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
BASIC_SCIENCE
Masking
SINGLE
Enrollment
60
Day 1. Participants are exposed to two different visual stimuli. One of these stimuli is paired with a mild electric shock (i.e. conditioned stimuli).
Day 2 (24 hours after Day 1). Participants are exposed to mental imagery of the stimuli used during fear conditioning. Imagery is prompted through different verbal instructions presented in a pseudo-randomized order. No shocks are delivered. Prior to imaginal extinction, participants receive task specific training.
Day 3 (48 h after day1). Participants are exposed to the same stimuli used during fear conditioning (day 1) and imaginal extinction (day 2). Two unsignaled shocks are delivered at the beginning of the experiment, prior to the presentation of the first visual stimulus. No further shocks are delivered. This procedure allows the study of long term effects of imaginal extinction.
Uppsala University, Departement of Psychology
Uppsala, Sweden
Skin conductance response (SCR)
SCR is used as a measure of physiological fear responses. Differences in fear responses are used to assess fear learning during fear acquisition and to explore main effects and interactions between fear learning, stimulus complexity and capacity for mental imagery.
Time frame: Day 1
Skin conductance response (SCR)
SCR is used as a measure of physiological fear responses.Differences in fear responses are used to assess fear reduction during imaginal extinction, and to explore main effects and interactions between fear reduction, stimulus complexity and capacity for mental imagery.
Time frame: Day 2 (24 h after day1)
Skin conductance response (SCR)
SCR is used as a measure of physiological fear responses.Differences in fear response are used to assess return of fear during reinstatement, and to explore main effects and interactions between return of fear, stimulus complexity and capacity for mental imagery.
Time frame: Day 3 (48 h after day 1)
Fear ratings
Ratings of subjective fear during the experimental procedure. Scale: 0 -100 (no fear at all - extreme fear)
Time frame: Day 1
State-Trait Anxiety Inventory
This is a self-rated questionnaire measuring trait anxiety. Higher scores indicate higher level of trait-anxiety (range 20-80)
Time frame: Day 1
Difficulties in emotion regulation scale
This is a self-rated questionnaire measuring difficulties in emotion regulation. Higher scores indicate higher level of difficulties in emotion regulation (range 36-180)
Time frame: Day 1
Fear ratings
Ratings of subjective fear during the experimental procedure. Scale: 0 -100 (no fear at all - extreme fear)
Time frame: Day 2 (24 h after day 1)
Vividness of mental imagery during imaginal extinction
Scale: 1-5; no image at all - image as clear and vivid as real life
Time frame: Day 2 (24 h after day 1)
The Plymouth Sensory Imagery Questionnaire
This is a self-rated questionnaire measuring vividness of mental imagery across different sensory modalities. Higher scores indicate higher level of vividness. (range 0-70)
Time frame: Day 2 (24 h after day 1)
The Vividness of Visual Imagery Questionnaire
This is a self-rated questionnaire measuring vividness of visual mental imagery. Only eyes open section is administered. Higher scores indicate higher level of vividness (range 0-80)
Time frame: Day 2 (24 h after day 1)
Spontaneous use of imagery scale
This is a self-rated questionnaire measuring spontaneous use of imagery. Higher scores higher levels use of spontaneous use of imagery (range 12- 60)
Time frame: Day 2 (24 h after day 1)
Expectancy ratings
After the imaginal extinction procedure, participants are asked to rate to what extent they believed that electric shocks would be delivered during the procedure on a scale ranging from 0 - 100 %
Time frame: Day 2 (24 h after day 1)
Fear ratings
Ratings of subjective fear during the experimental procedure. Scale: 0 -100 (no fear at all - extreme fear)
Time frame: Day 3 (48 h after day 1)
Expectancy ratings
After the reinstatement procedure, participants are asked to rate to what extent they believed that electric shocks would be delivered during the procedure on a scale ranging from 0 - 100 %
Time frame: Day 3 (48 h after day 1)
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