Extinction Generalization in Exposure Therapy

Ruhr University of Bochum

Status: Completed

Conditions: Specific Phobia

Treatments: Behavioral: Exposure treatment for spider fear

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT03031002

ZL 59/2-2

Details and patient eligibility

About

Patients with anxiety disorders oftentimes express fear responses to more than only one fear-inducing object. The principal aim of this study is to examine whether the beneficial effects of exposure on fear reduction in spider phobia can extend to stimuli which are conceptually similar to spiders (i.e. cockroaches), but have never been presented during the respective treatment.

Full description

Fear extinction has evolved as the central mechanism underlying exposure-based treatments. Findings from conditioning studies indicate that fear reduction following a fear extinction procedure can generalize from the extinction stimulus to other conceptually and perceptually related stimuli. This study is aimed at translating these findings to a clinical application and will hence examine whether the basic principles of extinction generalization are applicable to exposure.

Patients with spider phobia will either receive two sessions of in-vivo exposure with spiders or no treatment. Prior to as well as after treatment, patient's fear of spiders will be assessed using the Behavioral Approach Test (BATs) and self-report questionnaires. In addition, BATs with cockroaches will be conducted to examine the effects of exposure therapy on extinction generalization.

Enrollment: 77 patients

Sex: All

Ages: 18 to 65 years old

Volunteers: No Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• spider phobia according to Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) -IV criteria

Exclusion criteria

• any neurological or neuropsychiatric condition
• current behavioral or pharmacological treatment
• any mental disorder that is considered more severe than specific phobia

Trial design

Primary purpose: Treatment

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: None (Open label)

---

77 participants in 2 patient groups

Exposure Treatment

Experimental group

Description:

Participants of this arm receive two 60-minute sessions of exposure treatment for spider fear

Treatment:

Behavioral: Exposure treatment for spider fear

No Exposure Treatment

No Intervention group

Description:

Participants of this arm receive no exposure or other adequate treatment