Spider Phobia Opposite Action Treatment Study

NCT02905279 | Terminated

• 1 other identifier: 2015-07-0020
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 44
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

This study tests the effectiveness of exposure therapy for fear of spiders as enhanced by the use of antagonistic or opposite actions during treatment. The goal of the study is to compare the efficacy threat-relevant opposite actions and threat-irrelevant opposite actions in extinguishing fear.

Conditions

Specific Phobia

Keywords

spider phobia; animal phobia; exposure therapy; biofeedback; relaxation training

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (1)

• Change in Performance on a Behavioral Approach Test in a Generalization Context (Pre-treatment to 2-week Follow-Up)

  Change in peak subjective fear (0 - 100 scale), behavioral approach (0 - 13 scale), and physiological reactivity (heart rate and skin conductance) to a live spider not used during treatment (generalization context) from pre-treatment to follow-up

  Change from pre-treatment (same day as treatment) to follow-up (window of 14-21 days after treatment)

Secondary Outcomes (6)

• Change in Performance on a Behavioral Approach Test in a Generalization Context (Pre-treatment to Post-treatment)

  Change from pre-treatment (same day as treatment) to post-treatment (within 30 minutes of completion of the treatment procedure)

• Change in Performance on a Behavioral Approach Test in the Treatment Context (Pre-treatment to 2-week Follow-Up)

  Change from pre-treatment (same day as treatment) to follow-up (window of 14-21 days after treatment)

• Change in Performance on a Behavioral Approach Test in the Treatment Context (Pre-treatment to Post-treatment)

  Change from pre-treatment (same day as treatment) to post-treatment (within 30 minutes of completion of the treatment procedure)

• Change in Fear of Spiders Questionnaire (Pre-treatment to 2-week Follow-Up)

  Change from pre-treatment (same day as treatment) to follow-up (window of 14-21 days after treatment)

• Change in Armfield and Mattiske Disgust Questionnaire (Pre-treatment to 2-week Follow-Up)

  Change from pre-treatment (same day as treatment) to follow-up (window of 14-21 days after treatment)

Study Arms (4)

Biofeedback

ACTIVE COMPARATOR

Biofeedback Relaxation Training

Behavioral: Biofeedback Relaxation Training

Standard Exposure

ACTIVE COMPARATOR

Exposure Therapy

Behavioral: Exposure Therapy

Exposure with Threat-Relevant OAs.

EXPERIMENTAL

Exposure with Threat-Relevant Opposite Actions

Behavioral: Exposure with Threat-Relevant Opposite Actions

Exposure with Threat-Irrelevant OAs

EXPERIMENTAL

Exposure with Threat-Irrelevant Opposite Actions

Behavioral: Exposure with Threat-Irrelevant Opposite Actions

Interventions

Biofeedback Relaxation Training BEHAVIORAL

Participants will receive one-session biofeedback relaxation training (24 minutes) for anxiety reduction. Prior to biofeedback, participants will receive education about spiders and the development and maintenance of spider phobia.

Biofeedback

Exposure Therapy BEHAVIORAL

Participants will receive one-session exposure therapy (24 minutes) for fear of spiders. Prior to exposure therapy, participants will receive education about spiders and the development and the development and maintenance of spider phobia.

Standard Exposure

Exposure with Threat-Relevant Opposite Actions BEHAVIORAL

Participants will receive one-session exposure therapy (24 minutes) for fear of spiders. During exposure, participants will engage in actions opposite to the tendencies associated with threat avoidance. Prior to exposure therapy, participants will receive education about spiders and the development and maintenance of spider phobia.

Exposure with Threat-Relevant OAs.

Exposure with Threat-Irrelevant Opposite Actions BEHAVIORAL

Participants will receive one-session exposure therapy (24 minutes) for fear of spiders. During exposure therapy, participants will engage in actions opposite of the action tendencies associated with the fear, but unrelated to the specific threats associated with spider phobia. Prior to exposure therapy, participants will receive education about spiders and the development and maintenance of spider phobia.

Exposure with Threat-Irrelevant OAs

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 18 Years - 65 Years
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64), Older Adult (65+)

You may qualify if:

• At Prescreen:
• Total score of greater than or equal to 70 on the Fear of Spiders - Questionnaire (with higher scores indicating higher fear levels).
• Indicates ongoing fear of spiders and inability to complete close approach towards spiders on brief questionnaire.
• At Screening visit: inability to complete close approach toward spiders as determined by the treatment context and generalization context Behavioral Approach Tests

You may not qualify if:

• Currently receiving psychotherapy for spider phobia

Sponsors & Collaborators

• University of Texas at Austin: lead

Study Sites (1)

Laboratory for the Study of Anxiety Disorders, University of Texas at Austin

Austin, Texas, 78712, United States

Location

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Phobia, Specific; Arachnophobia; Zoophobia

Interventions

Implosive Therapy

Intervention Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Desensitization, Psychologic; Behavior Therapy; Psychotherapy; Behavioral Disciplines and Activities

Study Officials

• Michael J Telch, PhD

  The University of Texas at Austin

  STUDY DIRECTOR

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Masking: NONE
• Purpose: TREATMENT
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
• PI Title: Professor

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: August 23, 2016
• First Posted: September 19, 2016
• Study Start: June 1, 2016
• Primary Completion: December 3, 2017
• Study Completion: December 12, 2017
• Last Updated: December 8, 2020

Record last verified: 2020-12

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will not share

Locations

US (1)