Mental threat rehearsal increases fear generalization.
Anxiety disorders
Fear generalization
Mental imagery
Rehearsal
Threat inflation
Journal
Journal of behavior therapy and experimental psychiatry
ISSN: 1873-7943
Titre abrégé: J Behav Ther Exp Psychiatry
Pays: Netherlands
ID NLM: 0245075
Informations de publication
Date de publication:
Mar 2024
Mar 2024
Historique:
received:
17
02
2022
revised:
11
05
2023
accepted:
28
09
2023
medline:
4
12
2023
pubmed:
21
11
2023
entrez:
20
11
2023
Statut:
ppublish
Résumé
Fear generalization to harmless stimuli characterizes anxiety-related disorders, but much remains unknown about its determinants. Based on studies showing that mental imagery of threat can increase conditioned fear responding, we tested whether it also facilitates fear generalization, and whether threat inflation moderates this effect. In a fear conditioning study, 120 participants first completed an acquisition phase, in which one of two pictures was followed by an aversive sound (human scream). Then, the sound was presented 11 times at an increasing (threat inflation) or constant volume (no threat inflation). Finally, a generalization stimulus was presented, and some participants were asked to imagine the last sound (threat rehearsal) and others were not (no threat rehearsal). Bayesian informative hypotheses tests indicated that imagery-based threat rehearsal increased generalization of threat expectancy, and, combined with threat inflation, it also resulted in stronger generalized distress. due to the absence of a test phase, it is unclear whether our effects would transfer to other GSs and whether they would persist beyond the manipulation phase. Mental imagery of threat may put individuals at risk for fear generalization. Future studies should examine whether modulating imagery may prevent clinical anxiety.
Sections du résumé
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES
OBJECTIVE
Fear generalization to harmless stimuli characterizes anxiety-related disorders, but much remains unknown about its determinants. Based on studies showing that mental imagery of threat can increase conditioned fear responding, we tested whether it also facilitates fear generalization, and whether threat inflation moderates this effect.
METHODS
METHODS
In a fear conditioning study, 120 participants first completed an acquisition phase, in which one of two pictures was followed by an aversive sound (human scream). Then, the sound was presented 11 times at an increasing (threat inflation) or constant volume (no threat inflation). Finally, a generalization stimulus was presented, and some participants were asked to imagine the last sound (threat rehearsal) and others were not (no threat rehearsal).
RESULTS
RESULTS
Bayesian informative hypotheses tests indicated that imagery-based threat rehearsal increased generalization of threat expectancy, and, combined with threat inflation, it also resulted in stronger generalized distress.
LIMITATIONS
CONCLUSIONS
due to the absence of a test phase, it is unclear whether our effects would transfer to other GSs and whether they would persist beyond the manipulation phase.
CONCLUSIONS
CONCLUSIONS
Mental imagery of threat may put individuals at risk for fear generalization. Future studies should examine whether modulating imagery may prevent clinical anxiety.
Identifiants
pubmed: 37984086
pii: S0005-7916(23)00084-8
doi: 10.1016/j.jbtep.2023.101917
pii:
doi:
Types de publication
Journal Article
Langues
eng
Sous-ensembles de citation
IM
Pagination
101917Informations de copyright
Copyright © 2023 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.
Déclaration de conflit d'intérêts
Declaration of competing interest We have no conflicts of interest with respect to the authorship or the publication of this article.