Die Spontaneous Use of Imagery Scale (SUIS)–Entwicklung und teststatistische Prüfung einer deutschen Adaption

Inducing positive involuntary mental imagery in daily life using personalized photograph stimuli

Most people experience positive involuntary mental imagery (IMI) frequently in daily life; however, evidence for the importance and effects of positive IMI is largely indirect. The current study adapted a paradigm to experimentally induce positive IMI in participants' daily lives. This could in turn provide a means to directly test positive IMI's effects. In a within-subjects design, participants (N = 41) generated positive mental images (imagery condition) and sentences (verbal condition) from photo cues, half of which participants provided from their own living environment. Participants then recorded involuntary memories of the previously generated images or sentences in a seven-day diary, before returning to the lab and completing some measures including an involuntary memory task. In the diary, participants reported more involuntary memories from the imagery condition than from the verbal condition, and more involuntary memories from their own photos compared to the other photos. A more mixed pattern of findings was found across other tasks in the lab. The study indicates that the paradigm can be used as a means to induce positive IMI and that using photos as the basis for generating positive imagery increases the amount of IMI in daily life. Theoretical and potential clinical implications are discussed.

Beyond self-report: Measuring visual, auditory, and tactile mental imagery using a mental comparison task

Finding a reliable and objective measure of individual differences in mental imagery across sensory modalities is difficult, with measures relying on self-report scales or focusing on one modality alone. Based on the idea that mental imagery involves multimodal sensorimotor simulations, a mental comparison task (MCT) was developed across three studies and tested on adults (n = 96, 345, and 448). Analyses examined: (a) the internal consistency of the MCT, (b) whether lexical features of the MCT stimuli (word length and frequency) predicted performance, (c) whether the MCT related to two widely used self-report scales, (d) response latencies and accuracies across the visual, auditory, and tactile modalities, and (e) whether MCT performance was independent of processing speed. The MCT showed evidence of reliability and validity. Responses were fastest and most accurate for the visual modality, followed by the auditory and tactile. However, consistent with the idea that self-report questionnaires index a different aspect of mental imagery, the MCT showed minimal correlations with self-report imagery. Finally, relations between MCT scales remained strong after controlling for processing speed. Findings are discussed in relation to current understanding and measurement of mental imagery.

Once in Contact, Forever Contaminated! Introducing a Clinically Validated Imagery- and Video-Based Chain of Contagion Task for the Measurement of Disgust and Contamination Change in Experimental Research and Clinical Practice

Tolin et al. (2004) developed the Chain of Contagion Task (CCT) to experimentally test the law of contagion and looming vulnerability (LV). In the CCT, contaminated pencils are brought into contact with clean pencils. The degree of contamination transferred to further new pencils refers to the level of biased contagious beliefs. Although this could be an important transdiagnostic tool, the usability of the original paradigm has been very laborious. Therefore, an imagery- and video-based CCT is introduced and validated in Study 1 in a nonclinical sample with 85 participants. In Study 2, the imagery-based CCT was validated in a clinical study with 15 participants diagnosed with contamination-related obsessive-compulsive disorder (C-OCD), 15 participants suffering from an anxiety disorder, and 15 nonclinical controls. The number of participants is consistent with those in Tolin's original sample and the statistical evaluation of Study 2 was preregistered. Both CCT could be validated and the results could be replicated. In the imagery-based CCT, the C-OCD group displayed significantly higher contamination ratings, avoidance tendencies and LV than the two control groups. We argue that this open access diagnostic instrument can be applied in research as well as in therapeutic practice (Download CCT videos and imagery: https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.7730459).

The Nature of Mental Imagery and Its Relationship With Amotivational Psychopathology in People With Schizophrenia Spectrum Disorders

Many people with schizophrenia spectrum disorders (SSDs) experience profound amotivation, which is strongly related to anticipatory anhedonia. Yet, the neuropsychological fundamentals of anticipatory anhedonia and amotivation are barely understood, resulting in a lack of effective treatments for these patients. Aberrancies in positive mental imagery may interfere with the anticipation of pleasure and could thus explain anticipatory anhedonia and amotivation. However, the nature of mental imagery and its relationship with amotivational psychopathology in SSD is largely unknown. In this preregistered study, we therefore examined mental imagery characteristics and their relation to anticipatory anhedonia, amotivation, and daily life activity in SSD. TheN = 86 participants included individuals with SSD (n = 43) and demographically matched healthy controls (n = 43). Mental imagery, anticipatory pleasure, amotivation, and activity engagement were assessed with structured interviews and self-report questionnaires. Ecological momentary assessment was used to measure state anticipatory pleasure and activity engagement in daily life (n = 81). Compared to the control group, the SSD group showed comparable quantity, but less vividness of mental imagery. Reduced vividness of mental imagery in SSD was significantly associated with higher anticipatory anhedonia, amotivation, and low activity engagement in cross-sectional and prospective analyses. Reduced mental imagery vividness may cause a lack of internal incentive to seek pleasurable experiences and could explain amotivation. Interventions aiming to improve mental imagery vividness and related anticipatory pleasure responses in SSD may be effective in targeting amotivation.

Web-Based Imagery Behavioral Activation (WIMBA): Study Protocol for a Randomized Controlled Trial Testing the Effects, Acceptability, and Feasibility of a Mental Imagery Activity Scheduling Training Delivered Online

Background

Behavioral activation (BA) is an effective and efficacious treatment for depression. Activity scheduling is the central treatment component of BA and involves planning of potentially enjoyable and rewarding activities. Evidence from non-clinical studies suggests that mental imagery simulations of planned activities can increase motivation and anticipated pleasure for these activities.

Method

We describe a randomized controlled trial testing a mental imagery activity scheduling training delivered online in four weekly sessions (total training duration approximately 90 minutes) in a sample meeting diagnostic criteria of a major depressive episode, as indicated by the Diagnostic Short-Interview for Mental Disorders (Mini-DIPS), and not currently receiving treatment. Participants (N = 140) will be randomized to either mental imagery activity scheduling or a wait-list control condition. Depressive symptoms (BDI-II) and behavioral activation (BADS) are the primary outcomes; BDI-II will be measured at Session 1, Session 4, and at two-week follow-up, BADS at Sessions 1-4 and at two-week follow-up.

Discussion

It is discussed how the expected results may reflect mechanisms and effects of a mental imagery activity scheduling training delivered online in a sample of individuals with depression. Concluding we outline next steps for future research and highlight the potential of this novel treatment for dissemination in the wider community and integration into routine care.

Healthy cravings? Impact of imagined healthy food consumption on craving for healthy foods and motivation to eat healthily - Results of an initial experimental study

Craving for high-calorie foods predicts consumption of high-calorie foods thereby contributing to unhealthy eating habits and, potentially in the long term, to the development of overweight, obesity, and eating disorder pathology. Thus, effective interventions tackling craving for unhealthy foods and motivating healthy eating behavior are needed. This initial study tested if an experimental mental imagery procedure could induce craving for healthy foods and increase the motivation to eat healthily. Participants (N = 82) were randomized to either a healthy craving mental imagery condition or to a neutral mental imagery control condition. Craving for healthy foods and motivation to eat healthily was assessed before and after the experimental manipulation via self-report. A (disguised) food choice for healthy versus unhealthy food was added as a behavioural measure at the end of the experiment. Repeated measures of variance analyses with time (pre vs. post experimental manipulation) and condition (healthy craving mental imagery versus neutral mental imagery) yielded significant interactions for healthy craving and motivation to eat healthily: Post-hoc tests showed that craving for healthy foods and motivation to eat healthily increased significantly after the experimental manipulation in the healthy craving mental imagery condition, but not in the neutral mental imagery condition. Results of this initial study suggest that an experimental mental imagery induction of craving for healthy food leads to an increase in healthy craving and motivation to eat healthily. Further experimental research is needed to rule out priming effects, to test the underlying mechanisms of this effect, and evaluate the potential of this mental imagery procedure in a clinical context.

The traces of imagination: early attention bias toward positively imagined stimuli

Positively imagined activities may capture visual attention due to an increase in positive value. Increasing attention toward activities, in turn, may prove useful for clinical interventions aiming to motivate behavioral engagement. Employing a within-subject experimental design, we examined the effect of positive imagery on attention using a visual probe task with concurrent eye tracking. Adults from the general population (N = 54) imagined performing activities involving visually presented objects in a positive (focusing on the positive emotional impact) or neutral (focusing on a neutral circumstance) manner. They then completed a visual probe task using picture stimuli depicting one object per type of imagery. Positive compared to neutral imagery increased self-reported behavioral motivation and biased the direction, but not the duration, of gaze toward objects associated with the imagined activities. An exploratory analysis showed a positive association between the direction bias and depressive symptoms. Our findings build on existing literature on positive imagery as a motivational amplifier by highlighting early attention as an underlying cognitive mechanism.

A Mental Imagery Micro-Intervention to Increase Positive Affect in Outpatient CBT Sessions (PACIfIC): Study Protocol of a Randomized Controlled Implementation Trial

Background

Recent findings indicated that mental disorders are associated with both an up-regulation of negative affect and a down-regulation of positive affect (PA) as distinct processes. Established treatment approaches focus on the modification of problems and negative affect only. Experimental paradigms in healthy samples and research on strengths-based approaches showed that fostering PA may improve psychotherapy process and outcome. Specific and easily implementable interventions targeting PA in treatment sessions are scarce. Mental imagery was shown to be a promising strategy for boosting positive emotional experiences.

Method

The PACIfIC-study is planned as a longitudinal randomized-controlled trial in the context of cognitive behavioral therapy, implemented at a German outpatient training and research center. In the process analysis, trajectories of PA over the first twelve treatment sessions will be examined with weekly questionnaires. In the intervention analysis, a six-minute positive mental imagery intervention to enhance PA will be developed and tested. The intervention is implemented with loudspeakers at the beginning of each session for a standardized induction of PA. The experimental group will be compared to an active control group (neutral mental imagery) and treatment as usual. Procedures in all treatment arms are parallelized. Main outcomes after twelve sessions of psychotherapy will be psychosocial resources, resilience and self-esteem (theory-driven), as well as psychopathology and working alliance (secondary outcome). Multilevel modeling will be conducted to address the nested data structure.

Conclusion

Study results may have implications on the consideration of positive constructs in mental disorders and the implementation of strengths-based interventions in psychotherapy.

Erfassung der Lebendigkeit mentaler Vorstellungsbilder

Zusammenfassung. Mentale Vorstellungsfähigkeit bezeichnet ein Konstrukt von enormer Bedeutung für diverse psychische Funktionen (z. B. Motivation, Emotion und Handlungssteuerung). Die Lebendigkeit gilt hierbei als ein zentrales und interindividuell variierendes Merkmal mentaler Vorstellungen. Bislang mangelt es allerdings an validierten deutschsprachigen Fragebögen zur Erfassung der Lebendigkeit. Daher wurden an einer Stichprobe von N = 300 Personen aus der Allgemeinbevölkerung (81 % Studierende) deutschsprachige Versionen des Vividness of Visual Imagery Questionnaire (VVIQ; visuelle Vorstellungen) und des Plymouth Sensory Imagery Questionnaire (PSI-Q; multisensorische Erfassung) adaptiert und validiert. Für den VVIQ und PSI-Q konnten die faktorielle (mittels Exploratory Structural Equation Modeling), konvergente und diskriminante Validität belegt werden. Es ergaben sich akzeptable bis hohe interne Konsistenzen, die Retest-Korrelationen (8 Monate) variierten je nach Subskala. Die Lebendigkeit mentaler Vorstellungen zeigte erwartungskonform negative Zusammenhänge mit Defiziten in der emotionalen Verarbeitung (Alexithymie). Insgesamt stellen die beiden Fragebögen ökonomische, reliable und valide Verfahren dar, um die Lebendigkeit mentaler Vorstellungen zu erfassen.

Imagine How Good That Feels: The Impact of Anticipated Positive Emotions on Motivation for Reward Activities

Background

Disease burden and unsatisfactory treatment outcomes call for innovation in treatments of depression. Prospective mental imagery, i.e. future-directed voluntary imagery-based thought, about potentially-rewarding activities may offer a mechanistically-informed intervention that targets deficits in reward processing, a core clinical feature of depression. We propose that the previously described impact of prospective mental imagery on motivation for everyday activities is facilitated by affective forecasting, i.e. predictions about an individual’s emotional response to the imagined activities.

Methods

Participants (N = 120) self-nominated six activities to engage in over the following week and were randomized to either: (1) an affective forecasting imagery condition (n = 40); (2) a neutral process imagery condition (n = 40); or (3) a no-imagery control condition (n = 40).

Results

As predicted, increases in motivation ratings from pre to post experimental manipulation were significantly higher following affective forecasting imagery compared to both neutral process imagery (d = 0.62) and no-imagery (d = 0.91). Contrary to predictions, the number of activities participants engaged in did not differ between conditions.

Conclusions

Results provide initial evidence for a potentially important role of affective forecasting in prospective mental imagery. We discuss how these findings can inform future research aiming to harness prospective mental imagery’s potential for clinical applications.

Imagery ability assessments: a cross-disciplinary systematic review and quality evaluation of psychometric properties

BACKGROUND

Over the last two centuries, researchers developed several assessments to evaluate the multidimensional construct of imagery. However, no comprehensive systematic review (SR) exists for imagery ability evaluation methods and an in-depth quality evaluation of their psychometric properties.

METHODS

We performed a comprehensive systematic search in six databases in the disciplines of sport, psychology, medicine, education: SPORTDiscus, PsycINFO, Cochrane Library, Scopus, Web of Science, and ERIC. Two reviewers independently identified and screened articles for selection. COSMIN checklist was used to evaluate the methodological quality of the studies. All included assessments were evaluated for quality using criteria for good measurement properties. The evidence synthesis was summarised by using the GRADE approach.

RESULTS

In total, 121 articles reporting 155 studies and describing 65 assessments were included. We categorised assessments based on their construct on: (1) motor imagery (n = 15), (2) mental imagery (n = 48) and (3) mental chronometry (n = 2). Methodological quality of studies was mainly doubtful or inadequate. The psychometric properties of most assessments were insufficient or indeterminate. The best rated assessments with sufficient psychometric properties were MIQ, MIQ-R, MIQ-3, and VMIQ-2 for evaluation of motor imagery ability. Regarding mental imagery evaluation, only SIAQ and VVIQ showed sufficient psychometric properties.

CONCLUSION

Various assessments exist to evaluate an individual's imagery ability within different dimensions or modalities of imagery in different disciplines. However, the psychometric properties of most assessments are insufficient or indeterminate. Several assessments should be revised and further validated. Moreover, most studies were only evaluated with students. Further cross-disciplinary validation studies are needed including older populations with a larger age range. Our findings allow clinicians, coaches, teachers, and researchers to select a suitable imagery ability assessment for their setting and goals based on information about the focus and quality of the assessments.

SYSTEMATIC REVIEWS REGISTER

PROSPERO CRD42017077004 .

Mechanisms and Effectiveness of Imagery Strategies in Reducing Disgust in Contamination-Related Obsessive–Compulsive Disorder: Comparing Imagery Rescripting, Imagery Self-compassion and Mood-Focused Imagery

Background

Strong feelings of disgust and anxiety are maintaining factors in contamination-related obsessive–compulsive disorder (C-OCD). To this day there are not many studies that investigated strategies for changing pathological disgust. In a previous study, it was shown that imagery rescripting could successfully change disgust. However, whether imagery rescripting or more general imagery processing, helps to reduce pathological disgust, remains unclear. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to investigate how successful imagery rescripting is in comparison to imagery self-compassion and a passive positive imagery condition in reducing disgust.

Methods

For this, the three strategies were compared to each other on 2 days (within-subject) in a laboratory experiment. The study included 24 subjects with diagnosed C-OCD, and 24 matched, healthy controls (between-subject).

Results

The results show that all three strategies changed disgust, they do not differ from each other and that different traits appear to influence the strategies’ success or failure. The theoretically derived underlying mechanisms of the strategies were found in an elaborate content analysis.

Conclusions

The present study provides first indications that imagery in general can help to change pathological disgust experience.

Myths of Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy: Development and Testing of a Questionnaire for Standardized Assessment

<b><i>Background:</i></b> Myths in the sense of scientifically untenable statements are widespread in the field of clinical psychology and psychotherapy and can have considerable consequences (e.g., stigmatization, ineffective/potentially harmful treatments). In German-speaking countries, myths have so far been little investigated, and there is no validated questionnaire specifically for the assessment of myths in clinical psychology/psychotherapy. The aim of the study was to develop a questionnaire on myths in clinical psychology/psychotherapy (FMKPP) and to conduct a first psychometric test on two samples (general population, students). In addition, correlations with personality traits, absorption, and intolerance of uncertainty were examined. <b><i>Methods:</i></b> In a sample of the German general population (<i>n</i>= 286) as well as in college students (<i>n</i>= 368), the factor structure and item characteristics were examined, and correlations with dispositional characteristics were calculated. <b><i>Results:</i></b> The FMKPP consists of three factors: “myths about the effectiveness of psychotherapy,” “myths about mental disorders/processes in psychotherapy,” and “myths concerning the functioning of memory.” Reliabilities (McDonald’s ω) were between 0.50 and 0.75. As expected, the FMKPP showed significant positive correlations with absorption and uncertainty intolerance. <b><i>Conclusion:</i></b> The reliability and validity of individual items should be investigated in future studies. The association with intolerance of uncertainty could indicate a function of myths in terms of increasing safety and predictability.

Inducing positive involuntary mental imagery in everyday life: an experimental investigation

Positive involuntary mental imagery occurs frequently in daily life but evidence as to its functions and importance is largely indirect. The current study investigated a method to induce positive involuntary imagery in daily life, which would allow direct testing of its impact. An unselected student sample (N = 80) completed a single session of a positive imagery cognitive bias modification (CBM) paradigm, which involved listening to and imagining brief positive imagery scripts. Participants then recorded any involuntary memories of the imagined training scenarios in a three-day diary before returning to the lab for a follow-up assessment. Participants were randomised to imagine the scenarios in either an emotionally involved or emotionally detached manner, providing a test of the role of emotion in the subsequent experience of involuntary memories. Participants reported experiencing involuntary memories of the training scenarios in their daily life, but the number recorded did not differ between the experimental conditions. Exploratory analyses suggested that more vivid imagery and recall testing were associated with a greater number of involuntary memories. The study highlights the potential of the imagery CBM paradigm to further our understanding of the functions and potential importance of positive involuntary mental imagery in daily life.

Mythen der Klinischen Psychologie und Psychotherapie: Entwicklung und Erprobung eines Fragebogens zur standardisierten Erfassung

<b><i>Hintergrund:</i></b> Mythen im Sinne von wissenschaftlich nicht haltbaren Aussagen sind im Bereich der Klinischen Psychologie und Psychotherapie weitverbreitet und können erhebliche Auswirkungen haben (z.B. Stigmatisierung, unwirksame/potenziell schädliche Behandlungen). Im deutschsprachigen Raum sind Mythen bislang wenig erforscht, und es existiert kein validierter Fragebogen spezifisch zur Erfassung von Mythen der Klinischen Psychologie/Psychothe­rapie. Die Studie verfolgte das Ziel, einen Fragebogen zu ­Mythen der Klinischen Psychologie und Psychotherapie (FMKPP) zu entwickeln und an zwei Stichproben (Allgemeinbevölkerung, Studierende) einer ersten psychometrischen Prüfung zu unterziehen. Zudem wurden Zusammenhänge mit Persönlichkeitsmerkmalen, Absorption und Unsicherheitsintoleranz geprüft. <b><i>Methode:</i></b> An einer Stichprobe der Allgemeinbevölkerung (<i>n</i> = 286) sowie Studierenden (<i>n</i> = 368) wurden mittels einer Hauptkomponentenanalyse die Faktorstruktur untersucht, eine Itemanalyse durchgeführt sowie Korrelationen mit Fragebögen zu dispositionellen Merkmalen berechnet. <b><i>Ergebnisse:</i></b> Der FMKPP zeigte die drei Faktoren: “Mythen zur Wirksamkeit von Psychotherapie”, “Mythen zu psychischen Störungen/Prozessen in der Psychotherapie” und “Mythen bezüglich der Funktionsweise des Gedächtnisses”. Die Reliabilitäten (McDonalds ω) lagen zwischen 0,50 und 0,75. Erwartungskonform zeigte der FMKPP signifikant positive Zusammenhänge mit Absorption und Unsicherheitsintoleranz. <b><i>Schlussfolgerung:</i></b> Vor dem Hintergrund einer ersten psychometrischen Prüfung sollten die Reliabilität sowie die Validität einzelner Items in zukünftigen Studien untersucht werden. Die Assoziation mit Unsicherheitsintoleranz könnte eine Funktion von Mythen im Sinne der Erhöhung von Sicherheit und Vorhersagbarkeit indizieren.

Imagery Rescripting: Exploratory Evaluation of a Short Intervention to Reduce Test Anxiety in University Students

BACKGROUND

Test anxiety is common in university students. Demanding schedules may contribute to the relatively low utilization of professional counseling, when compared to other anxiety disorders. A possible solution could be a psychotherapeutic short-term intervention. The present exploratory study implemented a short-term psychotherapeutic treatment, consisting of two imagery rescripting (IR) sessions. The efficacy of IR techniques has already been demonstrated in the treatment of various anxiety disorders including test anxiety.

METHODS

Nine students suffering from test anxiety (m = 3, f = 6) underwent two weekly applied sessions of IR. Outcome variables were examined one week prior to (t1), immediately after (t2) and three months after (t3) the intervention, using self-evaluation questionnaires on test anxiety (PAF), depressive symptoms (BDI II), life satisfaction (FLZ), general self-efficacy and study-specific self-efficacy (WIRKALL; WIRK_STUD), intrusiveness of mental images (IFES), and change and acceptance (VEV; ZUF; BFTB).

RESULTS

There were no dropouts. According to results from ZUF and BFTB, the participants where highly satisfied with the intervention. PAF scores decreased significantly over time (t1 to t3), whereas WIRKALL scores (t1 to t3) and WIRK_STUD scores (t1 to t3 and t2 to t3) increased significantly. IFES scores decreased immediately after the intervention (t1 compared to t2) and further after the follow-up (t1 to t3). No changes in BDI-II scores were observed.

DISCUSSION

The findings indicate a high acceptance and efficacy of the two-session IR-intervention. Limits are the lack of a control group, and the small sample size. Further evaluation in future controlled studies is needed.

Does Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS) Improve Disgust Regulation Through Imagery Rescripting?

The first pilot studies have shown the potential of imagery rescripting (ImR) for reducing contamination-related pathological disgust, although the effects were rather small. The aim of the present study is to investigate whether the effects of ImR in reducing disgust can be further increased by transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS). tDCS is a non-invasive method of brain stimulation that has been successfully used multiple times to support emotion-regulation strategies. In the present study, disgust was induced via images related to individualized sources of disgust. Fifty-eight healthy volunteers took part in two parallel experiments. The two groups were matched by age, highest educational level and gender, and were tested under two emotion-regulation conditions, namely an ImR condition and a control condition. Participants performed three trials on the first day and three trials on the second day. Across both days they performed three trials under each of the two emotion-regulation conditions in a randomized order. On one day active stimulation was applied, while on the other day participants were sham stimulated. The combination of emotion-regulation and stimulation condition was balanced across subjects. The only difference between the two groups was the localization of tDCS stimulation: one group was stimulated over the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex and the other group was stimulated over the visual cortex (VC). This experimental manipulation was implemented to gain further insights into the underlying neuropsychological mechanisms of imagery. ImR was conducted via a previously-recorded audio file. The results confirm the effect of ImR on the reduction of disgust. However, with the present experimental design we were not able to show that supplementary tDCS of the VC or the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex lead to improvement.

The German Impact of Future Events Scale (IFES-S): Adaption and Validation for Clinical Samples

Prospective intrusive mental images occur frequently among several psychological disorders. Their assessment is an important tool since the imagination of events can drive future behavior, such as suicidal acts. One valid measure evaluating those prospective images is the impact of future events scale (IFES). However, to date, there is no German equivalent to the English IFES. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to adapt and validate the IFES at hand of a clinical sample and a healthy control sample.After translation, item analyzes were conducted, and as a result, four items were excluded from further analysis resulting in the German short version of the IFES, the IFES-S. Construct validity of the German IFES-S was tested through correlational analysis with convergent and divergent measures. Specificity and sensitivity were assessed through ROC analysis. The German IFES-S showed good internal consistency for the overall measurement with a Cronbach's α of .93. Additionally, it displayed good convergent and divergent validity. An optimal cutoff score of 23 was established to discriminate between clinical populations and healthy controls. In summary, the German IFES-S promises to be a valid self-report instrument for the assessment of prospective intrusive imagery within the context of clinical samples.

Investigating the effect of proactive interference control training on intrusive memories

Intrusive re-experiencing is a hallmark symptom of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). According to prominent models of intrusive phenomena, intrusive memories may result from impairments in the efficiency of working memory capacity (WMC), more specifically proactive interference control. Yet, experimental research is scarce. Therefore, the present study aimed to investigate experimentally the role of proactive interference control in intrusive memories. We randomly assigned 57 healthy participants to either receive a high interference control training or a low interference control training. Participants were then exposed to highly distressing film clips. WMC was assessed before and after the training. Intrusion symptoms were assessed directly post-training and after one week using an Intrusion Provocation Task (IPT), a one-week intrusions diary, and the retrospective intrusion subscale of the Impact of Event Sale - Revised (IES-R). Results indicated that both groups reported improvements in WMC and fewer intrusions on the second IPT post-training, with no differences between groups. Similarly, no group differences on intrusions were found at one-week follow-up (i.e., intrusion diary and IES-R). To conclude, these data are not consistent with the hypothesis that WMC plays a role in intrusive re-experiencing. Implications for future research are discussed.

Effects of appraisal training on responses to a distressing autobiographical event

Dysfunctional appraisals are a key factor suggested to be involved in the development and maintenance of PTSD. Research has shown that experimental induction of a positive or negative appraisal style following a laboratory stressor affects analogue posttraumatic stress symptoms. This supports a causal role of appraisal in the development of traumatic stress symptoms and the therapeutic promise of modifying appraisals to reduce PTSD symptoms. The present study aimed to extend previous findings by investigating the effects of experimentally induced appraisals on reactions to a naturally occurring analogue trauma and by examining effects on both explicit and implicit appraisals. Participants who had experienced a distressing life event were asked to imagine themselves in the most distressing moment of that event and then received either a positive or negative Cognitive Bias Modification training targeting appraisals (CBM-App). The CBM-App training induced training-congruent appraisals, but group differences in changes in appraisal over training were only seen for explicit and not implicit appraisals. However, participants trained positively reported less intrusion distress over the subsequent week than those trained negatively, and lower levels of overall posttraumatic stress symptoms. These data support the causal relationship between appraisals and trauma distress, and further illuminate the mechanisms linking the two.

Changing disgust through imagery rescripting and cognitive reappraisal in contamination-based obsessive-compulsive disorder

Contamination-related obsessive-compulsive disorder (C-OCD) is characterized by strongly experienced disgust and fear, in response to potentially contaminating stimuli. Both emotions differ in their susceptibility for change by habituation and extinction, which are important processes for the success of exposure therapy. Even though the response rates for exposure therapy for C-OCD are very good, it seems promising to test additional therapeutic techniques which target disgust more directly. Therefore, imagery rescripting and cognitive reappraisal were evaluated for their potential to change levels of disgust (within-subject), in the two-session laboratory study with 30 participants, with diagnosed C-OCD, and 30 matched, healthy controls (between-subject), presented. The results show that both emotion-regulation strategies reduced disgust better than a non-intervention control task (counting fishes), across all the participants. Therefore, both strategies seem to be applicable and effective for reducing disgust, in the short term, in participants with diagnosed C-OCD. The implications of these findings for the experimental approach and for the clinical treatment of C-OCD, are discussed.