Enhancing Exposure Therapy for Snake and Spider Phobias

PHASE1/PHASE2CompletedINTERVENTIONAL
Enrollment

120

Participants

Timeline

Start Date

August 31, 2012

Primary Completion Date

December 31, 2019

Study Completion Date

December 31, 2019

Conditions
Specific Phobia
Interventions
BEHAVIORAL

Exposure Therapy with Retrieval

Participants will receive one-session exposure therapy (up to 92 minutes) for fear of spiders or fear of snakes. Thirty minutes prior to exposure therapy, participants will receive a fear retrieval trial, which is a brief exposure to the feared stimulus (snake or spider). Based on recent basic science research, the fear retrieval trial is expected to enhance the efficacy of exposure therapy.

BEHAVIORAL

Exposure Therapy with Compound Extinction

Participants will receive one-session exposure therapy (up to 92 minutes) for fear of spiders or fear of snakes. As a component of therapy, participants will receive compound extinction, which consists of exposure to two feared stimuli simultaneously (two spiders or two snakes). Based on recent basic science research, compound extinction is expected to enhance the efficacy of exposure therapy.

BEHAVIORAL

Exposure Therapy with Retrieval and Compound Extinction

Participants will receive one-session exposure therapy (up to 92 minutes) for fear of spiders or fear of snakes. Thirty minutes prior to exposure therapy, participants will receive a brief fear retrieval trial. As a component of therapy, participants will also receive compound extinction.

BEHAVIORAL

Therapist-guided Exposure Therapy

Participants will receive one-session exposure therapy (up to 92 minutes) for fear of spiders or fear of snakes.

Trial Locations (1)

78712

University of Texas at Austin, Austin

All Listed Sponsors
collaborator

National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)

NIH

lead

University of Texas at Austin

OTHER

NCT02160470 - Enhancing Exposure Therapy for Snake and Spider Phobias | Biotech Hunter | Biotech Hunter