Imagery Rescripting and Imaginal Exposure for Anxiety Symptoms

Summary

This study will recruit 460 participants who self-report high symptoms of anxiety. Participants will be randomly assigned to one of 4 groups: one analog intervention of Imagery Rescripting (IR) for memories, an analog intervention of IR for future events, and analog intervention of Imaginal Exposure (IE) for memories and an analog intervention of IE for future events. We will examine the efficacy and mechanisms behind each intervention.

Conditions

• Social Anxiety
• Generalized Anxiety
• Obsessive-Compulsive Symptom
• Panic

Interventions

BEHAVIORAL

Imaginal exposure for memories

Participants in this arm will be asked to decide alongside with the intervention provider (a clinical PhD student or M.A student under the supervision of the principal investigator) to imagine a script based on a past distressing anxiety provoking scenario multiple times while honing in on the most negative aspects.

BEHAVIORAL

Imaginal exposure for future events

Participants in this arm will be asked to decide alongside with the intervention provider (a clinical PhD student or M.A student under the supervision of the principal investigator) to imagine a script based on a future distressing anxiety provoking scenario multiple times while honing in on the most negative aspects.

BEHAVIORAL

Imagery rescripting for memories

Participants in this arm will be asked to decide alongside with the intervention provider (a clinical PhD student or M.A student under the supervision of the principal investigator) to imagine a script based on a past distressing anxiety provoking scenarios one time while honing in on the most negative aspects. Afterwards they will insert changes into the script that try to help them cope in the imagery: First imagining the scenario from a different character perspective that enacts changes in the memories. Second, The will imagine the scenario again from the original perspective along with changes done by the additional character.

BEHAVIORAL

Imagery rescripting for future events

Participants in this arm will be asked to decide alongside with the intervention provider (a clinical PhD student or M.A student under the supervision of the principal investigator) to imagine a script based on a future distressing anxiety provoking scenarios one time while honing in on the most negative aspects. Afterwards they will insert changes into the script that try to help them cope in the imagery: First imagining the scenario from a different character perspective that enacts changes in the memories. Second, The will imagine the scenario again from the original perspective along with changes done by the additional character.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Hebrew University of Jerusalem

  lead OTHER

Principal Investigators

• Jonathan D Huppert, PhD · Professor in the Hebrew University of Jerusalem psychology department

Study Design

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Purpose

TREATMENT

Masking

SINGLE

Model

PARALLEL

Eligibility

Min Age

18 Years

Max Age

70 Years

Sex

ALL

Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Timeline & Regulatory

Start

2022-04-14

Primary Completion

2025-01-31

Completion

2025-01-31

Countries

• Israel

Study Locations