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Updated: Jul 2, 2026
08:09
Psychophysiological Assessment of the Effectiveness of Emotion Regulation Strategies in Childhood
Published on: February 11, 2017
Positive and negative affect influence learning during exposure therapy: Secondary analysis from a randomized
Benjamin M Rosenberg1, Michael Treanor2, Tomislav D Zbozinek2
1Neuroscience Department, Pomona College, Claremont, CA 91711, USA.
Journal of Anxiety Disorders
|June 30, 2026
Summary
Positive and negative emotions influence how much people change their expectations during exposure therapy. High negative or low positive affect can hinder expectancy change, suggesting a need to boost positive emotions in treatment.
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Clinical Psychology
- Psychotherapy Research
Background:
- Exposure therapy aims to change maladaptive expectations.
- Both positive and negative affect are recognized as important during exposure therapy.
- The Inhibitory Retrieval model highlights expectancy change as a key therapeutic mechanism.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate how positive and negative affect moderate expectancy change in exposure therapy.
- To compare the effects of Inhibitory Retrieval versus Habituation-focused exposure therapy.
Main Methods:
- 77 adults with social anxiety or panic disorder participated.
- Participants were randomized to Inhibitory Retrieval or Habituation exposure therapy.
- Expectancy change and affect were measured using validated scales throughout the nine-session protocol.
Main Results:
- Inhibitory Retrieval: Affect moderated expectancy change; high negative or low positive affect reduced expectancy change.
- Habituation: Affect did not moderate fear reduction.
- Individuals with high pre-exposure expectancy showed less change when experiencing low positive or high negative affect.
Conclusions:
- Affect significantly influences expectancy change in Inhibitory Retrieval exposure therapy.
- Higher negative affect and lower positive affect are linked to diminished expectancy change.
- Future exposure therapy models may benefit from incorporating strategies to enhance positive affect.
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