Courage Study

Statement of the Problem:
Exposure-based treatments represent some of the most effective therapies for anxiety disorders. Yet despite their established efficacy, many individuals with anxiety disorders either refuse these treatments or opt instead for less effective or more costly pharmacotherapy. A necessary ingredient for exposure treatments is courageous behavior, or behavioral approach to threatening situations in the presence of fear. The unwillingness to engage in courageous behavior may prevent many anxiety disorder sufferers from receiving effective treatment. Even among anxious individuals undergoing exposure treatment, the absence of courage, or the unwillingness to perform exposure tasks, can significantly interfere with patient recovery.

Specific Aims:
The goal of this project is to test different strategies theoretically linked to courage with the hope of identifying effective strategies that could facilitate courageous behavior.

Design:
Participants will undergo a baseline assessment consisting of a battery of self-report questionnaires and a behavioral approach test (BAT) with a live snake or spider. Participants will then be randomized to one of five conditions: (a) acceptance-based intervention; (b) cognitive-behavioral intervention; (c) Pulsed Auto-Photic Stimulation (APS) relaxation condition; (d) behavioral condition; or (e) distracting video condition. After receiving the intervention, they will complete a second BAT.

Eligibility Criteria:
Participants must be enrolled in a University of Texas-Austin introduction to psychology class and must report significant snake or spider fear.

Project Coordinator/Contact Person:
Jesse Cougle

Contact Phone number: 512-471-3722

Contact Email: cougle@mail.utexas.edu