Adding imagery-based interventions to exposure and fear extinction (A13)

• Subject Area: Personality Psychology, Clinical and Medical Psychology, Methodology
• Term: since 2017
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 316803389

Cognitive factors are essential in the acquisition, expression, and extinction of fear. While various cognitive interventions seem effective in promoting expectancy learning and thus facilitating fear extinction, their impact on US revaluation is relatively limited. Our project aims to investigate cognitive processes that can effectively alter US revaluation as a complementary approach within extinction-based therapies. We will conduct a large randomized controlled trial (RCT) with acrophobia patients to examine the synergistic effects of Imagery Rescripting (ImRs) and exposure treatments on symptom improvement and underlying mechanisms. Additionally, we will explore the impact of treatment sequence on the enhanced efficacy of combining ImRs with exposure. In a second study, we will investigate whether the effects of ImRs, fear extinction, and their combination are driven by changes in US expectancy and/or US revaluation. Our studies integrate clinical and experimental approaches to better understand and modify US expectancy and revaluation in anxiety disorders.

• DFG Programme: Collaborative Research Centres
• Subproject of: SFB 1280: Extinction Learning
• Applicant Institution: Ruhr-Universität Bochum
• Project Heads: Professor Dr. Jürgen Margraf, until 12/2025; Professorin Dr. Marcella Woud, since 7/2021; Professor Dr. Armin Zlomuzica