Inter-Brain Synchrony in Psychotherapy for Test Anxiety

NCT ID: NCT05336734

Last Updated: 2022-04-20

Basic Information

• Recruitment Status: COMPLETED
• Clinical Phase: NA
• Total Enrollment: 8 participants
• Study Classification: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Start Date: 2021-05-23
• Study Completion Date: 2022-01-16

Brief Summary

The study aims to examine inter-brain synchrony between patients and therapists over the course of psychotherapy. Eight patients underwent a 6-session course of psychotherapy for test anxiety including Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and imagery work, following an existing protocol (see Prinz et al., 2019), as well as a pre- and post- treatment interview (with different interviewers). The researchers used functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) imaging to record brain activity during both interviews and sessions 1, 3, and 5, and collected saliva samples to measure hormone levels during the same sessions. Participants completed questionnaires before and after the study, and before and after each session.

The researchers hypothesized that synchrony will gradually increase over the psychotherapy sessions, that synchrony in the pre-treatment interview will be lower than in the post-treatment interview, and that synchrony would be correlated with increases in Oxytocin.

Detailed Description

This study centers on a short-term 6-session imagery-based treatment protocol for Test anxiety (Developed by Prof. Eshkol Rafaeli who is a collaborator on the study, with colleagues at the University of Trier; for the full protocol, see www.osf.io/hraqd). The protocol integrates traditional cognitive behavioral and imagery techniques; each session is also followed by some homework assignment, aimed at practicing the contents of the session and/or preparing for the next one.

The study lasted 8 weeks. On weeks 1 and 8 participants came in to a screening interview preformed by a research assistant. On weeks 2-7 participants came in to therapy meetings, according to the aforementioned protocol. On weeks 1,2,4,6,8 the researchers also performed functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS). imaging and took saliva samples. Participants, assessors (in assessment sessions) and therapists (in treatment sessions) underwent fNIRS imaging and provided saliva samples to measure Oxytocin and Cortisol levels. Samples were tested for hormonal levels and subsequently destroyed.

The study was an exploratory study, with the same therapist, who was a licensed clinical psychologist, treating all patients. He received supervision from an experienced psychologist with long experience employing cognitive-behavioral and experiential treatment methods.

Preliminary questionnaires. (a) Test Anxiety Inventory (b) Young Schema Questionnaire (YSQ-3) to assess early maladaptive schemas; (c) Ten Item Personality Inventory (TIPI) to assess Big-5 characteristics; (d) Schema Mode Inventory (SMI-2) to assess schema modes ; (e) Adult Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) Self Report Scale; (f) Inventory of Interpersonal Problems (IIP) to assess interpersonal problems; (f) General Anxiety Disorder 7-item (GAD7) scale to assess anxiety symptoms; (g) Mindset questionnaire; (h) Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ9) to assess depression symptoms; (i) Relationship Quality (RQ) to assess attachment; (j) demographic questionnaire; (k) Trauma questionnaires - The life event and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder checklists for the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM-5) and the Adverse Childhood Experiences Scale .

Conditions

Test Anxiety

Study Design

• Allocation Method: NA
• Intervention Model: SINGLE_GROUP
• Primary Study Purpose: BASIC_SCIENCE
• Blinding Strategy: NONE

Study Groups

Main group

The group underwent a psychotherapy course combining CBT and imagery work. (For full protocol see Prinz et al., 2019)

Group Type: EXPERIMENTAL

Psychotherapy

Intervention Type: BEHAVIORAL

see group description

Interventions

Psychotherapy

see group description

Intervention Type: BEHAVIORAL

Eligibility Criteria

Inclusion Criteria

• Test Anxiety Inventory at least 50.

Exclusion Criteria

• Participants with severe mood, anxiety, obsessional, psychotic, or eating disorders as assessed using a Diagnostic Interview for Anxiety, Mood, and Obsessive-compulsive and related Neuropsychiatric Disorders (DIAMOND) interview were excluded (However, comorbid single-episode major depressive disorder or social anxiety disorder did not lead to exclusion).

• Minimum Eligible Age: 18 Years
• Eligible Sex: ALL
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No

Sponsors

University of Haifa

OTHER

Sponsor Role: lead

Responsible Party

Responsibility Role: SPONSOR

Locations

University of Haifa

Haifa, , Israel

Countries

Israel

References

Prinz JN, Bar-Kalifa E, Rafaeli E, Sened H, Lutz W. Imagery-based treatment for test anxiety: A multiple-baseline open trial. J Affect Disord. 2019 Feb 1;244:187-195. doi: 10.1016/j.jad.2018.10.091. Epub 2018 Oct 6.

Reference Type: BACKGROUND

PMID: 30343122 (View on PubMed)

Spielberger, C.D. Test anxiety inventory: Preliminary professional manual. Palo Alto,CA: Consulting Psychologist Press. 1980.

Reference Type: BACKGROUND

Lawrence, J. S., & Williams, A. Anxiety explains why people with domain-contingent self-worth underperform on ability-diagnostic tests. Journal of Research in Personality. 2013; 47(3): 227-232

Reference Type: BACKGROUND

Other Identifiers

185/21

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id