An interventional study of Exposure in One Week Follow-up Assessment, Six Weeks Follow-up Assessment and Three Months Follow-up Assessment, sponsored by Ruhr University of Bochum. Completed at 1 site in Germany. Open to participants aged 18 Years to 40 Years. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2026-01-30.
Sponsored by Ruhr University of Bochum · Not applicable, Interventional, and Treatment
Participants will receive a pre-assessment and an exposure with a control spider. This control spider will be presented again at post-training assessments. Participants will then be assigned to one of the follow-up assessments: one week, six weeks or three months. The control spider (spider A) and a novel spider (spider B) will be used again at follow-up BATs to test for generalization of exposure effects.
Several findings from basic research on extinction learning undermine the role of time effects in the contextualization and retrieval of extinguished memories (Archbold et al., 2013; Quirk, 2002; Wiltgen \& Silva, 2007). The latter bears important implications for the evaluation of short- and long-term effects of exposure-based fear reduction and generalization. To date, no study exists examining the role of time on the fear responding to treated stimuli and/or untreated stimuli after successful exposure. It will be investigated whether the differential responding to treated and untreated stimuli after exposure is dependent on the passage of time.
Spider fearful participants will be subjected to a standardized one-session treatment with spiders serving as treatment stimuli. Fear reduction towards treatment stimuli will be assessed at post-treatment. Furthermore, generalization of exposure therapy towards untreated stimuli (i.e., a novel spider) will be assessed. The extent of generalization of exposure-based fear reduction to untreated stimuli will be compared between three groups that will differ with respect to the follow-up length. Here, participants undergoing exposure will be randomly assigned to one of the following follow-up measurements: one week follow-up, six weeks follow-up, and three months follow-up. The extent of exposure induced fear reduction and generalization will be assessed and compared between these groups.
Exclusion Criteria:
Participants will receive a pre-assessment and an exposure with a control spider (spider A). This control spider will be presented again at post-training assessments. Participants will then be assigned to the follow-up assessment one week after the exposure session, in which spider A and a novel spider (spider B) will be used to test for generalization of exposure effects.
Behavioral: Exposure
Participants will receive a pre-assessment and an exposure with a control spider (spider A). This control spider will be presented again at post-training assessments. Participants will then be assigned to the follow-up assessment six weeks after the exposure session, in which spider A and a novel spider (spider B) will be used to test for generalization of exposure effects.
Behavioral: Exposure
Participants will receive a pre-assessment and an exposure with a control spider (spider A). This control spider will be presented again at post-training assessments. Participants will then be assigned to the follow-up assessment three months after the exposure session, in which spider A and a novel spider (spider B) will be used to test for generalization of exposure effects.
Behavioral: Exposure
One-session of graded in-vivo exposure with a spider. Each task is first modeled by the experimenter. Prior to the exposure, participants receive psychoeducation on anxiety and phobias.
Behavioral Approach Test (BAT)
Change in the Behavioral Approach Test (BAT) at post-assessment and follow-up with the control spider (spider A; treated stimulus) and a novel spider (spider B; untreated fear stimulus). During the Behavioral Approach Test (BAT) the closest distance to a spider is measured.
Time frame: Pre-assessment (immediately before exposure), post-assessment (one day after exposure), follow-up (one week, six weeks, or three months after exposure)
Subjective fear
Change in subjective fear at post-assessment and follow-up with the control spider (spider A; treated stimulus) and a novel spider (spider B; untreated fear stimulus) is measured during the Behavioral Approach Tests.
Time frame: Pre-assessment (immediately before exposure), post-assessment (one day after exposure), follow-up (one week, six weeks, or three months after exposure)
Subjective disgust
Change in subjective disgust at post-assessment and follow-up with the control spider (spider A; treated stimulus) and a novel spider (spider B; untreated fear stimulus) is measured during the Behavioral Approach Tests.
Time frame: Pre-assessment (immediately before exposure), post-assessment (one day after exposure), follow-up (one week, six weeks, or three months after exposure)
Heart rate
Change in heart rate at post-assessment and follow-up with the control spider (spider A; treated stimulus) and a novel spider (spider B; untreated fear stimulus) is measured during the Behavioral Approach Tests.
Time frame: Pre-assessment (immediately before exposure), post-assessment (one day after exposure), follow-up (one week, six weeks, or three months after exposure)
Score on General Self-efficacy (GSE) Scale
Change in self-efficacy is measured by the GSE Scale. The GSE Scale contains ten items and measures how confident the person feels to overcome difficult situations based on their self-assessed competence. The total score is determined by summing up all item scores, which results in a score between 10 and 40, where the higher scores represent higher GSE.
Time frame: Pre-assessment (immediately before exposure), post-assessment (one day after exposure), follow-up (one week, six weeks, or three months after exposure)
Self-efficacy Questionnaire for Phobic Situations (SEQ-SP)
The questionnaire consists of 13 items. The items describe specific phobic situations (in relation to animals) for which the participants has to assess their self-efficacy expectations based on a five-point scale (1 = really sure I couldn't, 5 = really sure I could).
Time frame: Pre-assessment (immediately before exposure), post-assessment (one day after exposure), follow-up (one week, six weeks, or three months after exposure)
Fear of Spiders Questionnaire (FSQ)
Change in the Spider-fear related questionnaires. The Fear of Spiders Questionnaire (FSQ) will be applied. Scores on this scale range from 0 to 108, with higher scores indicating greater fear of spiders.
Time frame: Pre-assessment (immediately before exposure), post-assessment (one day after exposure), follow-up (one week, six weeks, or three months after exposure)
Spider Fear Questionnaire (SPQ)
The Spider Fear Questionnaire (SPQ) will be applied. Scores on this scale range from 0 to 31, with higher scores indicating greater fear of spiders.
Time frame: Pre-assessment (immediately before exposure), post-assessment (one day after exposure), follow-up (one week, six weeks, or three months after exposure)
Spider Beliefs Questionnaire (SBQ)
The Spider Beliefs Questionnaire (SBQ) will be applied. Scores on this scale range from 0 to 100, with higher scores indicating greater fear of spiders.
Time frame: Pre-assessment (immediately before exposure), post-assessment (one day after exposure), follow-up (one week, six weeks, or three months after exposure)
Plan to share: No
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Arachnophobia
Ruhr University of Bochum