Background and objectives

Maladaptive avoidance is a core characteristic of anxiety-related disorders. Its reduction is often promoted using extinction with response prevention (ExRP) procedures, but these effects are often short-lived. Research has shown that pairing a feared stimulus with a stimulus of an incompatible valence (i.e., counterconditioning) may be effective in reducing fear. This laboratory study tested whether positive imagery during ExRP (i.e., imagery counterconditioning protocol) can also reduce avoidance.

Methods

In the counterconditioning procedure, participants imagined a positive sound. There were four phases. First, participants were presented with squares on a computer screen of which one (CS+) was paired with an aversive sound and another (CS-) was not. Second, they learned to avoid the negative sound in the presence of the CS+, via a key press. Third, they were assigned to either the Counterconditioning (that was asked to imagine a positive sound during ExRP) or No Counterconditioning group (standard ExRP). Finally, they performed a test phase that consisted of two parts: in the first part, avoidance responses were available for each CS and in the second part, these responses were prevented.

Results

The Counterconditioning intervention resulted in a short-lived reduction of distress associated with the CS+. However, groups did not differ in avoidance or distress during the test phases.

Limitations

US-expectancy ratings were collected only at the end of the experiment.

Conclusions

The results indicate that positive imagery during ExRP may be effective in reducing distress during the intervention. Explanations for the persistence of avoidance and fear are discussed.

中文翻译：

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通过基于图像的反调节通过反应预防增强灭绝：条件回避和痛苦的结果。

背景和目标

适应不良的回避是焦虑相关障碍的核心特征。它的减少通常通过使用响应预防（ExRP）程序的灭绝来促进，但这些影响通常是短暂的。研究表明，将令人恐惧的刺激与不相容价的刺激（即反条件）配对可能有效减少恐惧。该实验室研究测试了 ExRP 期间的正面图像（即图像反调节协议）是否也可以减少回避。

方法

在反调节过程中，参与者想象了一个积极的声音。有四个阶段。首先，参与者在计算机屏幕上看到方块，其中一个 (CS+) 与令人厌恶的声音配对，而另一个 (CS-) 则没有。其次，他们学会了通过按键避免在 CS+ 存在的情况下产生负面声音。第三，他们被分配到Counterconditioning（要求在 ExRP 期间想象积极的声音）或No Counterconditioning组（标准 ExRP）。最后，他们执行了一个由两部分组成的测试阶段：在第一部分，每个 CS 都可以使用回避反应，而在第二部分，这些反应被阻止。

结果

该Counterconditioning干预导致与CS +相关窘迫的短暂下降。然而，在测试阶段，各组在回避或痛苦方面没有差异。

限制

仅在实验结束时收集美国期望值。

结论

结果表明，ExRP 期间的正面意象可能有效减少干预期间的痛苦。讨论了回避和恐惧持续存在的解释。