NCT06255821

Brief Summary

Participants will receive a pre-assessment and an exposure with a control spider. This control spider will be presented again at post-training assessments. Participants will then be assigned to one of the follow-up assessments: one week, six weeks or three months. The control spider (spider A) and a novel spider (spider B) will be used again at follow-up BATs to test for generalization of exposure effects.

Trial Health

87
On Track

Trial Health Score

Automated assessment based on enrollment pace, timeline, and geographic reach

Enrollment
59

participants targeted

Target at P25-P50 for not_applicable

Timeline
Completed

Started Jul 2024

Shorter than P25 for not_applicable

Geographic Reach
1 country

1 active site

Status
completed

Health score is calculated from publicly available data and should be used for screening purposes only.

Trial Relationships

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Study Timeline

Key milestones and dates

First Submitted

Initial submission to the registry

February 5, 2024

Completed
8 days until next milestone

First Posted

Study publicly available on registry

February 13, 2024

Completed
5 months until next milestone

Study Start

First participant enrolled

July 8, 2024

Completed
8 months until next milestone

Primary Completion

Last participant's last visit for primary outcome

February 19, 2025

Completed
Same day until next milestone

Study Completion

Last participant's last visit for all outcomes

February 19, 2025

Completed
Last Updated

January 30, 2026

Status Verified

July 1, 2024

Enrollment Period

8 months

First QC Date

February 5, 2024

Last Update Submit

January 28, 2026

Conditions

One Week Follow-up AssessmentSix Weeks Follow-up AssessmentThree Months Follow-up Assessment

Keywords

Exposure TherapyGeneralization of Exposure EffectsFear of SpidersAnxiety DisordersExtinctionSpecific phobia

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (4)

  • Behavioral Approach Test (BAT)

    Change in the Behavioral Approach Test (BAT) at post-assessment and follow-up with the control spider (spider A; treated stimulus) and a novel spider (spider B; untreated fear stimulus). During the Behavioral Approach Test (BAT) the closest distance to a spider is measured.

    Pre-assessment (immediately before exposure), post-assessment (one day after exposure), follow-up (one week, six weeks, or three months after exposure)

  • Subjective fear

    Change in subjective fear at post-assessment and follow-up with the control spider (spider A; treated stimulus) and a novel spider (spider B; untreated fear stimulus) is measured during the Behavioral Approach Tests.

    Pre-assessment (immediately before exposure), post-assessment (one day after exposure), follow-up (one week, six weeks, or three months after exposure)

  • Subjective disgust

    Change in subjective disgust at post-assessment and follow-up with the control spider (spider A; treated stimulus) and a novel spider (spider B; untreated fear stimulus) is measured during the Behavioral Approach Tests.

    Pre-assessment (immediately before exposure), post-assessment (one day after exposure), follow-up (one week, six weeks, or three months after exposure)

  • Heart rate

    Change in heart rate at post-assessment and follow-up with the control spider (spider A; treated stimulus) and a novel spider (spider B; untreated fear stimulus) is measured during the Behavioral Approach Tests.

    Pre-assessment (immediately before exposure), post-assessment (one day after exposure), follow-up (one week, six weeks, or three months after exposure)

Secondary Outcomes (5)

  • Score on General Self-efficacy (GSE) Scale

    Pre-assessment (immediately before exposure), post-assessment (one day after exposure), follow-up (one week, six weeks, or three months after exposure)

  • Self-efficacy Questionnaire for Phobic Situations (SEQ-SP)

    Pre-assessment (immediately before exposure), post-assessment (one day after exposure), follow-up (one week, six weeks, or three months after exposure)

  • Fear of Spiders Questionnaire (FSQ)

    Pre-assessment (immediately before exposure), post-assessment (one day after exposure), follow-up (one week, six weeks, or three months after exposure)

  • Spider Fear Questionnaire (SPQ)

    Pre-assessment (immediately before exposure), post-assessment (one day after exposure), follow-up (one week, six weeks, or three months after exposure)

  • Spider Beliefs Questionnaire (SBQ)

    Pre-assessment (immediately before exposure), post-assessment (one day after exposure), follow-up (one week, six weeks, or three months after exposure)

Study Arms (3)

One week follow-up assessment

EXPERIMENTAL

Participants will receive a pre-assessment and an exposure with a control spider (spider A). This control spider will be presented again at post-training assessments. Participants will then be assigned to the follow-up assessment one week after the exposure session, in which spider A and a novel spider (spider B) will be used to test for generalization of exposure effects.

Behavioral: Exposure

Six weeks follow-up assessment

EXPERIMENTAL

Participants will receive a pre-assessment and an exposure with a control spider (spider A). This control spider will be presented again at post-training assessments. Participants will then be assigned to the follow-up assessment six weeks after the exposure session, in which spider A and a novel spider (spider B) will be used to test for generalization of exposure effects.

Behavioral: Exposure

Three months follow-up assessment

EXPERIMENTAL

Participants will receive a pre-assessment and an exposure with a control spider (spider A). This control spider will be presented again at post-training assessments. Participants will then be assigned to the follow-up assessment three months after the exposure session, in which spider A and a novel spider (spider B) will be used to test for generalization of exposure effects.

Behavioral: Exposure

Interventions

ExposureBEHAVIORAL

One-session of graded in-vivo exposure with a spider. Each task is first modeled by the experimenter. Prior to the exposure, participants receive psychoeducation on anxiety and phobias.

One week follow-up assessmentSix weeks follow-up assessmentThree months follow-up assessment

Eligibility Criteria

Age18 Years - 40 Years
Sexall
Healthy VolunteersNo
Age GroupsAdult (18-64)

You may qualify if:

  • Presence of fear of spiders (Potential diagnosis of arachnophobia)

You may not qualify if:

  • Reaching level 10 or higher in the initial (Pre-Exposure) Spider BAT
  • Any acute or chronic mental and / or somatic disease
  • Psychological, psychiatric, neurological or pharmacological treatment
  • Drug or alcohol abuse
  • Pregnancy

Contact the study team to confirm eligibility.

Sponsors & Collaborators

Study Sites (1)

Department of Behavioral and Clinical Neuroscience

Bochum, 44787, Germany

Location

MeSH Terms

Conditions

ArachnophobiaAnxiety DisordersPhobia, Specific

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Mental Disorders

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
Principal Investigator

Study Record Dates

First Submitted

February 5, 2024

First Posted

February 13, 2024

Study Start

July 8, 2024

Primary Completion

February 19, 2025

Study Completion

February 19, 2025

Last Updated

January 30, 2026

Record last verified: 2024-07

Data Sharing

IPD Sharing
Will not share

Locations

DE(1)