Psychotherapeutic Imagery Techniques

NCT ID: NCT07048756

Last Updated: 2025-08-20

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

Get a concise snapshot of the trial, including recruitment status, study phase, enrollment targets, and key timeline milestones.

Recruitment Status

COMPLETED

Clinical Phase

NA

Total Enrollment

220 participants

Study Classification

INTERVENTIONAL

Study Start Date

2020-06-01

Study Completion Date

2022-06-01

Brief Summary

Review the sponsor-provided synopsis that highlights what the study is about and why it is being conducted.

This randomized controlled trial (RCT) examines the efficacy of Imagery Exposure (IE), Imagery Rescripting (ImRs), and Compassion-Focused Therapy (CFT) in individuals with a high fear of failure. Participants (N=220) were randomly assigned to IE, ImRs, ImRs with a 10-minute break (ImRs-DSR), or CFT-based Imagery Rescripting (CFT\_ImRs). Due to funding constraints, the CFT\_ImRs group included a reduced sample (N=40, targeting 30 completers).

The two-week intervention consists of four structured imagery sessions. IE involves exposure to criticism-related memories without modification. In the ImRs group memory reactivation to criticism-related memories is followed by positive reappraisal. ImRs-DSR introduces a 10-minute delay before reappraisal to enhance memory updating. CFT\_ImRs incorporates Compassion-Focused Therapy (CFT) principles into reappraisal, emphasizing self-compassion.

Primary outcomes include skin conductance level (SCL) and subjective emotional responses to criticism-related (and control) memories, changes in fear of failure and dysfunctional beliefs. All these variables are assessed pre-treatment, post-treatment, and at 3- and 6-month follow-ups. Results will be analyzed separately for:

IE vs. ImRs (rescripting vs. exposure and physiological predictors), ImRs vs. ImRs-DSR (memory reconsolidation effects), IE vs. CFT\_ImRs (CFT vs. exposure efficacy).

Detailed Description

Dive into the extended narrative that explains the scientific background, objectives, and procedures in greater depth.

This study aims to investigate the efficacy and underlying psychological mechanisms of Imagery Rescripting (ImRs), Imagery Exposure (IE), and Compassion-Focused Therapy (CFT) in individuals with high fear of failure. The project is designed as a randomized controlled trial (RCT) comparing four intervention conditions: Imagery Exposure (IE), standard Imagery Rescripting (ImRs), Imagery Rescripting with a 10-minute break (ImRs-DSR), and CFT-based Imagery Rescripting (CFT\_ImRs). The addition of the CFT\_ImRs condition was based on the decision to explore whether compassion-focused elements provide additional benefits in reducing criticism-related subjective and autonomic responses.

The study enrolled 220 participants, randomly assigned to one of the four groups (IE, ImRs, ImRs-DSR, CFT\_ImRs) in a 3:3:3:2 allocation ratio. Due to funding limitations for CFT\_ImRs, recruitment for this group has been capped at 40 participants, with the goal of obtaining a final sample of 30 subjects for the study phase. The treatment phase takes two weeks starting just after pre-treatment assessments and consisting of four treatment sessions. Each of them involves exposure to autobiographical memories of childhood criticism, presented in an audio format. The IE condition involves prolonged exposure to the criticism scene without modifications. In the ImRs condition, the reactivation of memory is followed by a positive reappraisal, where an imagined caregiver acknowledges the participant's needs. In ImRs-DSR, a 10-minute break separates the memory reactivation from the positive reappraisal, aiming to enhance memory updating by increasing memory trace destabilization. In the CFT\_ImRs condition, the part aiming at positive reappraisal differs from the one used in ImRs condition by incorporating some principles of Compassion-Focused Imagery Rescripting.

Primary outcome measures include physiological arousal (skin conductance level, SCL), subjective ratings, and changes in self-reported fear of failure and dysfunctional beliefs. Treatment effects will be evaluated at pre-treatment, post-treatment, and at 3- and 6-month follow-ups. The efficacy and stability of each intervention will be assessed using renewal, reacquisition, and reinstatement paradigms, as they are known from behavioral studies.

Due to the broad scope of this study, the results will be reported separately for different comparisons, as each addresses distinct research questions:

IE vs. ImRs: Examines whether rescripting differs from exposure and how the dynamics of physiological arousal influences treatment outcomes.

ImRs vs. ImRs-DSR: Investigates whether adding a mechanism for interrupting memory reconsolidation improves the efficacy of ImRs.

IE vs. CFT\_ImRs: Evaluates the efficacy of Compassion-Focused Therapy in comparison to exposure-based treatment.

This study seeks to determine whether standard ImRs is better than IE and whether ImRs-DSR or CFT\_ImRs provide additional benefits in reducing criticism-related subjective and autonomic responses, and whether the dynamics of physiological arousal during imagery predicts treatment responses. The findings may contribute to optimizing imagery-based therapeutic techniques for individuals with pathological fear of failure.

Due to human error in study planning, the retrospective registration for the ImRs vs. ImRs-DSR condition has already been registered in another repository under the following code: NCT06537284.

Conditions

See the medical conditions and disease areas that this research is targeting or investigating.

Fear of Failure

Study Design

Understand how the trial is structured, including allocation methods, masking strategies, primary purpose, and other design elements.

Allocation Method

RANDOMIZED

Intervention Model

PARALLEL

Primary Study Purpose

BASIC_SCIENCE

Blinding Strategy

SINGLE

Participants

Study Groups

Review each arm or cohort in the study, along with the interventions and objectives associated with them.

Imagery Rescripting (ImRs)

Before treatment each participant took part in 2 imagery sessions during which a cognitive-behavioral therapist (CBT) asked him/her to recall 3 events of being criticized for failures (2 past and 1 future events). Information from these sessions was used to create 1 criticism scenario related to the future and 2 related to the past, one of the latter was processed into a treatment scenario. Each of the 3 scenarios consisted of a memory anticipation part that required recalling 3 images one after another: the image of self, the surroundings, and the person of the critic involved in the scene. In the treatment scenario immediately after the imagery of the critic the rescripting part was presented, in which: 1. therapist enters the scene and prevents the criticism 2. therapist addresses a critic and points out the child's needs 3. therapist addresses the child and acknowledges its needs 4. therapist suggests to the child to perform an activity that would meet its needs.

Group Type EXPERIMENTAL

Imagery Rescripting

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

Imagery Rescripting (Regular)

Imagery Rescripting with memory reconsolidation disruption (ImRs-DSR)

Before treatment each participant took part in 2 imagery sessions during which a cognitive-behavioral therapist (CBT) asked him/her to recall 3 events of being criticized for failures (2 past and 1 future events). Information from these sessions was used to create 1 criticism scenario related to the future and 2 related to the past, one of the latter was processed into a treatment scenario. Each of the 3 scenarios consisted of a memory anticipation part that required recalling 3 images one after another: the image of self, the surroundings, and the person of the critic involved in the scene. In the treatment scenario 10 minutes after the imagery of the critic the rescripting part was presented, in which: 1) the therapist enters the scene and prevents the criticism 2) the therapist addresses a critic and points out the child's needs 3) the therapist addresses the child and acknowledges its needs 4) the therapist suggests to the child to perform an activity that would meet its needs.

Group Type EXPERIMENTAL

Imagery Rescripting with Disruption of Reconsolidation

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

Imagery Rescripting with Disruption of Reconsolidation

Imagery Exposure (IE)

Before treatment each participant took part in 2 imagery sessions during which a cognitive-behavioral therapist (CBT) asked him/her to recall 3 event of being criticized for failures. Information from these sessions was used to create 1 criticism scenario related to the future and 2 related to the past, one of the latter was processed into a treatment scenario. Each of the 3 scenarios consisted of a memory anticipation part that required recalling 3 images one after another: the image of self, the surroundings, and the person of the critic involved in the scene. In the treatment scenario the imagery of the critic was followed by the prolonged exposure to the criticism situation.

Group Type EXPERIMENTAL

Imagery Exposure

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

Imagery Exposure

Compassion-Focused Therapy Imagery Rescripting (CFT_ImRs)

Before treatment each participant took part in 2 imagery sessions during which a cognitive-behavioral therapist (CBT) asked him/her to recall 3 event of being criticized for failures. Information from these sessions was used to create 1 criticism scenario related to the future and 2 related to the past, one of the latter was processed into a treatment scenario. Each of the 3 scenarios consisted of a memory anticipation part that required recalling 3 images one after another: the image of self, the surroundings, and the person of the critic involved in the scene. In the treatment scenario immediately after the imagery of the critic the rescripting part was presented, in which: 1) therapist expressed intention to protect the child 2) desire to reduce the child's suffering 3) explained that suffering is part of the human experience 4) provided sense of community and understanding.

Group Type EXPERIMENTAL

Compassion-Focused Therapy Imagery Rescripting

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

Imagery Rescripting in Compassion-Focused Therapy

Interventions

Learn about the drugs, procedures, or behavioral strategies being tested and how they are applied within this trial.

Imagery Rescripting

Imagery Rescripting (Regular)

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

Imagery Exposure

Imagery Exposure

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

Imagery Rescripting with Disruption of Reconsolidation

Imagery Rescripting with Disruption of Reconsolidation

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

Compassion-Focused Therapy Imagery Rescripting

Imagery Rescripting in Compassion-Focused Therapy

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

Other Intervention Names

Discover alternative or legacy names that may be used to describe the listed interventions across different sources.

ImRs IE ImRs-DSR CFT_ImRs

Eligibility Criteria

Check the participation requirements, including inclusion and exclusion rules, age limits, and whether healthy volunteers are accepted.

Inclusion Criteria

* adults aged 18-35
* high fear of failure
* not currently undergoing psychotherapy or psychopharmacotherapy
* no severe punitive experiences in the past

Exclusion Criteria

* current severe affective disorders
* current severe anxiety
* current severe personality disorders
* active suicidality
* psychosis
* substance abuse
Minimum Eligible Age

18 Years

Maximum Eligible Age

35 Years

Eligible Sex

ALL

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Sponsors

Meet the organizations funding or collaborating on the study and learn about their roles.

National Science Centre, Poland

OTHER_GOV

Sponsor Role collaborator

University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Warsaw

OTHER

Sponsor Role lead

Responsible Party

Identify the individual or organization who holds primary responsibility for the study information submitted to regulators.

Jaroslaw Michalowski

Professor

Responsibility Role PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Principal Investigators

Learn about the lead researchers overseeing the trial and their institutional affiliations.

Jarosław M. Michałowski, PhD

Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

SWPS University

Locations

Explore where the study is taking place and check the recruitment status at each participating site.

Poznań Laboratory of Affective Neuroscience, Institute of Psychology, SWPS University, Warsaw, Poland

Poznan, Wielkopolska, Poland

Site Status

Countries

Review the countries where the study has at least one active or historical site.

Poland

References

Explore related publications, articles, or registry entries linked to this study.

Craske MG, Kircanski K, Epstein A, Wittchen HU, Pine DS, Lewis-Fernandez R, Hinton D; DSM V Anxiety; OC Spectrum; Posttraumatic and Dissociative Disorder Work Group. Panic disorder: a review of DSM-IV panic disorder and proposals for DSM-V. Depress Anxiety. 2010 Feb;27(2):93-112. doi: 10.1002/da.20654.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 20099270 (View on PubMed)

Sugimine S, Saito S, Takazawa T. Normalized skin conductance level could differentiate physical pain stimuli from other sympathetic stimuli. Sci Rep. 2020 Jul 2;10(1):10950. doi: 10.1038/s41598-020-67936-0.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 32616939 (View on PubMed)

Wild J, Clark DM. Imagery Rescripting of Early Traumatic Memories in Social Phobia. Cogn Behav Pract. 2011 Nov;18(4):433-443. doi: 10.1016/j.cbpra.2011.03.002.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 22298942 (View on PubMed)

Siegesleitner M, Strohm M, Wittekind CE, Ehring T, Kunze AE. Improving imagery rescripting treatments: Comparing an active versus passive approach. J Behav Ther Exp Psychiatry. 2020 Dec;69:101578. doi: 10.1016/j.jbtep.2020.101578. Epub 2020 Jun 9.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 32569854 (View on PubMed)

Schiller D, Kanen JW, LeDoux JE, Monfils MH, Phelps EA. Extinction during reconsolidation of threat memory diminishes prefrontal cortex involvement. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2013 Dec 10;110(50):20040-5. doi: 10.1073/pnas.1320322110. Epub 2013 Nov 25.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 24277809 (View on PubMed)

Morina N, Lancee J, Arntz A. Imagery rescripting as a clinical intervention for aversive memories: A meta-analysis. J Behav Ther Exp Psychiatry. 2017 Jun;55:6-15. doi: 10.1016/j.jbtep.2016.11.003. Epub 2016 Nov 9.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 27855298 (View on PubMed)

Conroy, D. E., Willow, J. P., & Metzler, J. N. (2002). Multidimensional fear of failure measurement: The performance failure appraisal inventory. Journal of applied sport psychology, 14(2), 76-90.

Reference Type BACKGROUND

Arntz A, Weertman A. Treatment of childhood memories: theory and practice. Behav Res Ther. 1999 Aug;37(8):715-40. doi: 10.1016/s0005-7967(98)00173-9.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 10452174 (View on PubMed)

Agren T, Engman J, Frick A, Bjorkstrand J, Larsson EM, Furmark T, Fredrikson M. Disruption of reconsolidation erases a fear memory trace in the human amygdala. Science. 2012 Sep 21;337(6101):1550-2. doi: 10.1126/science.1223006.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 22997340 (View on PubMed)

Other Identifiers

Review additional registry numbers or institutional identifiers associated with this trial.

SONATA_BIS_JM2019a

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id

More Related Trials

Additional clinical trials that may be relevant based on similarity analysis.

The Effect of Dual Attention in an EMDR Intervention
NCT05600868 ENROLLING_BY_INVITATION NA