NCT02160470

Enhancing Exposure Therapy for Snake and Spider Phobias

Enhancing Exposure Therapy for Snake and Spider Phobias With Fear Retrieval and Compound Extinction

• Status: Completed
• Phase: Phase 1 / Phase 2
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 120 (estimated)
• Sponsor: University of Texas at Austin · Academic / Other
• Sex: All
• Age: 18 Years – 65 Years
• Healthy volunteers: Accepted

Summary

This study tests whether exposure therapy for fear of snakes or spiders is enhanced by the addition of a brief fear retrieval trial prior to treatment, and the use of compound extinction during treatment. The goal of the study is to determine whether these behavioral techniques enhance the efficacy of exposure therapy, one of the most empirically supported treatments for anxiety disorders.

Detailed description

This study tests whether exposure therapy for fear of snakes or spiders is enhanced by the addition of a brief fear retrieval trial prior to treatment, and the use of compound extinction during treatment. The goal of the study is to determine whether these behavioral techniques enhance the efficacy of exposure therapy, one of the most empirically supported treatments for anxiety disorders. Individuals between the ages of 18-65 with elevated fear of spiders or fear of snakes are randomly assigned to one of four treatment conditions (1) standard exposure therapy, (2) exposure therapy with fear retrieval augmentation, (3) exposure therapy with compound extinction augmentation, and (4) exposure therapy with fear retrieval and compound extinction augmentations. All participants undergo an online prescreen and a face-to-face screening assessment to determine eligibility and baseline (pre-treatment) symptom severity. Participants additionally complete assessments directly after treatment (post-treatment), and approximately one week after treatment (follow-up). The pre-treatment assessment occurs 1-14 days prior to treatment, the post-treatment assessment occurs during the treatment visit as soon as the treatment procedure is complete, and the follow-up assessment occurs within a window of 6-14 days after the completion of treatment. Participants complete two behavioral approach tests (in the treatment context and in the generalization context) at pre-treatment, post-treatment, and follow-up. Participants complete a battery of self-report questionnaires at pre-treatment and follow-up.

Conditions

• Specific Phobia

Interventions

Type	Name	Description
BEHAVIORAL	Exposure Therapy with Retrieval	Participants will receive one-session exposure therapy (up to 92 minutes) for fear of spiders or fear of snakes. Thirty minutes prior to exposure therapy, participants will receive a fear retrieval trial, which is a brief exposure to the feared stimulus (snake or spider). Based on recent basic science research, the fear retrieval trial is expected to enhance the efficacy of exposure therapy.
BEHAVIORAL	Exposure Therapy with Compound Extinction	Participants will receive one-session exposure therapy (up to 92 minutes) for fear of spiders or fear of snakes. As a component of therapy, participants will receive compound extinction, which consists of exposure to two feared stimuli simultaneously (two spiders or two snakes). Based on recent basic science research, compound extinction is expected to enhance the efficacy of exposure therapy.
BEHAVIORAL	Exposure Therapy with Retrieval and Compound Extinction	Participants will receive one-session exposure therapy (up to 92 minutes) for fear of spiders or fear of snakes. Thirty minutes prior to exposure therapy, participants will receive a brief fear retrieval trial. As a component of therapy, participants will also receive compound extinction.
BEHAVIORAL	Therapist-guided Exposure Therapy	Participants will receive one-session exposure therapy (up to 92 minutes) for fear of spiders or fear of snakes.

Timeline

• Start date: 2012-08-01
• Primary completion: 2019-12-01
• Completion: 2019-12-01
• First posted: 2014-06-10
• Last updated: 2020-12-08

Locations

1 site across 1 country: United States