Spider Phobia Opposite Action Treatment Study

NCT ID: NCT02905279

Last Updated: 2020-12-08

Study Results

Results pending

The study team has not published outcome measurements, participant flow, or safety data for this trial yet. Check back later for updates.

Basic Information

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Recruitment Status

TERMINATED

Clinical Phase

NA

Total Enrollment

44 participants

Study Classification

INTERVENTIONAL

Study Start Date

2016-06-01

Study Completion Date

2017-12-12

Brief Summary

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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.

Detailed Description

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This study tests whether exposure therapy for fear of spiders can be enhanced with the use of opposite actions, which are actions opposite to fear-related action tendencies. The investigators will test two sub-types of opposite actions (a) threat-relevant opposite actions, which are actions antagonistic to specific threats associated with spider phobia, and (b) threat-irrelevant opposite actions, which are actions antagonistic to the fear response, but unrelated to specific threats associated with spider phobia. This exposure therapy enhanced with opposite actions will be compared with two control groups: standard exposure therapy and non-specific anxiety treatment (biofeedback relaxation training).

Individuals between the ages of 18-65 with elevated fear of spiders are randomly assigned to one of four treatment conditions (1) biofeedback relaxation training, (2) standard exposure therapy, (3) exposure therapy with threat-relevant opposite actions, and (4) exposure therapy with threat-irrelevant opposite actions. 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 two weeks after treatment (follow-up). The pre-treatment assessment occurs on the same day as 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 14-21 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

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Specific Phobia

Keywords

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spider phobia animal phobia exposure therapy biofeedback relaxation training

Study Design

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Allocation Method

RANDOMIZED

Intervention Model

PARALLEL

Primary Study Purpose

TREATMENT

Blinding Strategy

NONE

Study Groups

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Biofeedback

Biofeedback Relaxation Training

Group Type ACTIVE_COMPARATOR

Biofeedback Relaxation Training

Intervention Type 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.

Standard Exposure

Exposure Therapy

Group Type ACTIVE_COMPARATOR

Exposure Therapy

Intervention Type 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.

Exposure with Threat-Relevant OAs.

Exposure with Threat-Relevant Opposite Actions

Group Type EXPERIMENTAL

Exposure with Threat-Relevant Opposite Actions

Intervention Type 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-Irrelevant OAs

Exposure with Threat-Irrelevant Opposite Actions

Group Type EXPERIMENTAL

Exposure with Threat-Irrelevant Opposite Actions

Intervention Type 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.

Interventions

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Biofeedback Relaxation Training

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.

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

Exposure Therapy

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.

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

Exposure with Threat-Relevant Opposite Actions

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.

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

Exposure with Threat-Irrelevant Opposite Actions

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.

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

Eligibility Criteria

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Inclusion Criteria

* 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

Exclusion Criteria

* Currently receiving psychotherapy for spider phobia
Minimum Eligible Age

18 Years

Maximum Eligible Age

65 Years

Eligible Sex

ALL

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Sponsors

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University of Texas at Austin

OTHER

Sponsor Role lead

Responsible Party

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Michael J. Telch

Professor

Responsibility Role PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Principal Investigators

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Michael J Telch, PhD

Role: STUDY_DIRECTOR

The University of Texas at Austin

Locations

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

Austin, Texas, United States

Site Status

Countries

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United States

Other Identifiers

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2015-07-0020

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id