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Exposure therapy consortium: Outcomes of the proof-of-principle study.
Jasper A J Smits1, Jonathan S Abramowitz2, Rebecca A Anderson3
1Department of Psychology, The University of Texas at Austin, USA.
Journal of Anxiety Disorders
|December 28, 2024
Summary
This study tested a new exposure therapy approach for anxiety sensitivity. While feasible, adding post-exposure processing did not significantly improve outcomes compared to standard exposure or stress management alone.
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Clinical Psychology
- Anxiety Disorders
Background:
- Exposure therapy is a key treatment for anxiety sensitivity.
- The Exposure Therapy Consortium aims to improve exposure therapy effectiveness.
- Big-team science approaches are being explored for mental health interventions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess the feasibility of a big-team science approach for exposure therapy.
- To test if post-exposure processing enhances a one-session large-group interoceptive exposure protocol.
- To reduce anxiety sensitivity in students.
Main Methods:
- Multi-site cluster-randomized controlled trial.
- Three conditions: exposure with post-processing (ENHANCED), exposure alone (STANDARD), and stress management (CONTROL).
- Assessed feasibility via site metrics and efficacy using the Anxiety Sensitivity Index-3 up to 1-month follow-up.
Main Results:
- Successfully implemented a standardized protocol across 12 sites with 400 participants.
- All conditions showed significant reductions in anxiety sensitivity.
- ENHANCED and CONTROL outperformed STANDARD at post-treatment, but were not significantly different from each other.
Conclusions:
- The Exposure Therapy Consortium's big-team science approach is feasible.
- Findings question the efficacy of large group exposure interventions.
- Emphasizes the need for careful site selection and iterative treatment development.
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