Imagery Rescripting and Exposure in Social Anxiety: A Randomized Trial Comparing Treatment Techniques

Abstract

This randomized trial compared the effects of imagery rescripting against in vivo exposure administered separately during a single session with 27 socially anxious individuals. Previous research shows that imagery rescripting is a promising treatment technique for various disorders including social anxiety, although imagery rescripting and exposure for social anxiety have not yet been compared. Social anxiety self-report measures (LSAS-SR and BFNE-II); the distress, vividness, and frequency of fear images (i.e., Imagery condition); and the levels of anxiety, avoidance, and the strength of convictions of a feared social situation (i.e., exposure condition) were rated at baseline, before treatment, and after a 2- and 4-week follow up period. Both treatment groups improved significantly on all measures pre- to post treatment and the effects largely remained at the 4-week follow-up. No significant differences between the treatment groups were found on the anxiety measures. The results suggest that either a single session of imagery rescripting or of exposure are effective in reducing social anxiety, and that both treatment techniques, even when administered in a single session, reduces social anxiety.

The Effectiveness of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Including Updating the Early Life Experiences and Images with the Empty Chair Technique on Social Anxiety

“…Additionally, participants' negative childhood experiences, the meaning they attributed to these experiences and their images were re-evaluated using the empty chair technique. It could be said that research findings which interfere with the early negative life experiences of individuals with social anxiety via imagery rescripting technique support this study (Frets et al, 2014;Knutsson et al, 2020;Lee & Kwon, 2013;Nilsson et al, 2012;Norton & Abbott, 2016;Reimer & Moscovitch, 2015;Wild et al, 2007Wild et al, , 2008. These studies have…”

“…Negative images are related to negative life experiences during the onset of social anxiety (Hackmann et al, 2000;Kuo et al, 2011;Stopa & Jenkins, 2007;Wild & Clark, 2011). Therefore, social anxiety interventions should focus on updating the mental representation images of early negative life experiences (Knutsson et al, 2020). People with social anxiety commonly experience negative, recurrent, and intrusive images in anxiety-provoking social situations (Hackmann et al, 2000;Wild et al, 2007Wild et al, , 2008.…”

“…Therefore, it is important to modify and update the early negative life experiences and the images which are mental representations of these early life experiences. There are many studies in the literature showing that CBT, which includes early negative life experiences and updating the images, is effective for social anxiety (Knutsson et al, 2020;Lee & Kwon, 2013;Nilsson et al, 2012;Norton & Abbott, 2016;Norton et al, 2021;Romano et al, 2020;Wild et al, 2007Wild et al, , 2008. During the counseling process, CBT also makes use of techniques from other theories (Harwood et al, 2010;Howes & Parrott, 1991).…”

The Asian Conference on Education 2020: Official Conference Proceedings

“…This finding is in line with previous research findings that exposure therapy, even in a one-session of in vivo exposure, also proven significantly to reduce social anxiety. (Knutsson, Nilsson, Eriksson, & Jarild, 2020;Scheurich, Beidel, & Vanryckeghem, 2019). Through exposure, individuals with SAD may become habituated to a social situation and learned to justify the irrationality of their fears.…”

A Novel Application of the Schema Therapy Mode Model for Social Anxiety Disorder: A Naturalistic Case Study

“…Imagery rescripting aims to restructure maladaptive interpretations developed from early negative interpersonal experiences and thereby reduce subsequent SAD symptoms (e.g. Knutsson et al, 2020; Lee & Kwon, 2013; Norton & Abbott, 2016b; Wild et al, 2008).…”