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Published on: January 18, 2021
Systematic Review of Studies on Subliminal Exposure to Phobic Stimuli: Integrating Therapeutic Models for Specific
Sergio Frumento1, Danilo Menicucci1, Paul Kenneth Hitchcott1
1Department of Surgical, Medical, Molecular and Critical Area Pathology, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy.
Abstract:
We systematically review 26 papers investigating subjective, behavioral, and psychophysiological correlates of subliminal exposure to phobic stimuli in phobic patients. Stimulations were found to elicit: (1) cardiac defense responses, (2) specific brain activations of both subcortical (e.g., amygdala) and cortical structures, (3) skin conductance reactions, only when stimuli lasted >20 ms and were administered with intertrial interval >20 s. While not inducing the distress caused by current (supraliminal) exposure therapies, exposure to subliminal phobic stimuli still results in successful extinction of both psychophysiological and behavioral correlates: however, it hardly improves subjective fear. We integrate those results with recent bifactorial models of emotional regulation, proposing a new form of exposure therapy whose effectiveness and acceptability should be maximized by a preliminary subliminal stimulation. Systematic Review Registration: identifier [CRD42021129234].
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