Extinction treatment in multiple contexts attenuates ABC renewal in humans

No Thumbnail Available
File version
Author(s)
Balooch, Siavash Bandarian
Neumann, David L
Boschen, Mark J
Griffith University Author(s)
Primary Supervisor
Other Supervisors
Editor(s)
Date
2012
Size
File type(s)
Location
License
Abstract

Renewal has been implicated as one of the underlying mechanisms in return of fear following exposure therapy. ABC renewal is clinically more relevant than ABA renewal and yet it is a weaker form of renewal, suggesting that conducting extinction treatment in multiple contexts may be sufficient to attenuate ABC renewal. Using self-reported expectancy of shock and startle blink responses the current study examined the effects of conducting extinction treatment in multiple contexts on ABC fear renewal. Participants (N 젶8) received conditional stimulus (CS) and unconditional stimulus (US) pairings in one context (A) followed by extinction treatment (CS presentations alone) in either one other context (B) or three other contexts (BCD). Non-reinforced test trials in a novel context (E) resulted in renewal of extinguished conditioned behaviour for those who received extinction in only one context. However, renewal was attenuated for those who received extinction treatment in three contexts. No renewal was found for the control group that received the test trial in the same context as during extinction. Suggestions are provided for clinicians seeking to prevent or attenuate return of fear following exposure therapy.

Journal Title

Behaviour Research and Therapy

Conference Title
Book Title
Edition
Volume

50

Issue

10

Thesis Type
Degree Program
School
Publisher link
Patent number
Funder(s)
Grant identifier(s)
Rights Statement
Rights Statement
Item Access Status
Note
Access the data
Related item(s)
Subject

Cognitive and computational psychology

Clinical and health psychology

Social and personality psychology

Persistent link to this record
Citation
Collections