The term "attention placebo" has been used in an imprecise and often seemingly thoughtless way for decades, and it is often confusing to encounter "attention placebo group" in outcome studies. The purpose of this study was to investigate attention placebo empirically, focusing on anxiety or phobia related problems. The two aims were (1) to describe and summarize how researchers define attention placebo in empirical studies and the intervention procedures involved in these studies; and (2) to explore the possibility of estimating the magnitude of the attention placebo effects on anxiety or phobia related problems.A thorough literature search was carried out with the keywords of attention placebo synonyms and the resulting list of 1304 articles was screened for unique empirical articles on anxiety or phobia related problems. A total of 545 articles were identified as attention placebo empirical studies, and 83 involved anxiety or phobia related problems. These 83 constituent articles were coded for the purpose of qualitative overview, and 63 articles with sufficient data were included in the meta-analysis of attention placebo effects.The results of the qualitative overview of attention placebo on anxiety or phobia related problems showed that most articles did not discuss explicitly any rationale for using an attention placebo group, but simply included one as a comparison group. The arrangements for attention placebo interventions were diverse and often reflected little concern for emulating the nonspecific features of the treatment(s) of interest. Two meta-analyses were performed based on the comparison of attention placebo and a no-treatment control, and attention placebo and the verum. The overall estimated effect of attention placebo is Hedges's g=0.32, a small effect, significantly different from the effect size of the other control groups. Compared to the verum, the effects of attention placebo are not consistent in magnitude but were nearly all smaller than the effects of the verum treatments. Meta-regression and subgroup analyses indicated that estimating attention placebo effects is a sensible and meaningful research activity.In conclusion, attention placebo is not so much about attention, and it is possible to estimate the effects of attention placebo.

The present study attempted to answer two general questions: (1) what is the relation between expected and actual reactions to a spider in individuals afraid of spiders? and (2) are inaccurate expectancies updated on the basis of experience? Behavioral and cognitive-behavioral learning models of fear, treatment protocols developed in relation to these, and recent findings from our laboratory necessitated answers to two additional questions: (3) does the expectation accuracy of individuals who meet DSM-IV criteria for diagnosis with a specific phobia differ from that of individuals who are fearful but do not meet criteria? and (4) does expectation accuracy vary as a function of context? Two final questions were obvious: (5) do the actual reactions of individuals who meet criteria for diagnosis differ predictably from those of fearful individuals? and (6) do reactions vary contextually? Student participants reported and tested a series of trial-specific expectancies about their reactions to a live, mechanical, or virtual tarantula over seven trials. Participants then completed three final trials in the presence of a live tarantula. Participants poorly anticipated the quality and intensity of their initial reactions, but expectation accuracy increased quickly. No clear tendencies for over- or under-prediction emerged. Participants updated expectancies in relation to prior trial expectation accuracy, either increasing or decreasing their predicted reactions relative to the original expectancy. Participants who met criteria for diagnosis with a specific phobia consistently anticipated and reported more intense reactions than did those who were fearful, but diagnostic status was not predictive of expectation accuracy. Participants in the live and virtual spider groups reported similar levels of fear that were greater than those in the mechanical spider group. Participants in the virtual spider group more readily reduced the distance maintained between themselves and the spider stimulus than did those in the live or mechanical spider groups. Expectation accuracy did not vary contextually. Results are discussed in light of the theoretical models presented, with findings lending greater support to behavioral models of fear learning relative to cognitive models that postulate a substantial role for conscious processing and appraisal in specific fear. Practical recommendations are made to researchers and clinicians based on present findings.

The present study estimated the genetic and environmental effects on different dimensions of religiosity, explored how genetic and environmental effects covary across different dimensions of religiosity, and decomposed the covariance of genetic and environmental effects between different dimensions of religiosity and internalizing and externalizing psychiatric disorders. Dimensions of religiosity were found to be largely influenced by additive genetic and unique environmental effects, with little influence observed from common enviromental effects. Multidimensional analyses found that the seven religiosity factors observed in the present study were influenced by one common additive genetic factor, three common unique environmental factors, and unique environmental effects specific to each religiosity factor. Bivariate analyses of the seven religiosity factors and four psychiatric disorders found that the negative correlation between alcohol dependence and six of the seven religiosity factors could be accounted for by additive genetic effects. Similar results were obtained for nicotine dependence and one religiosity factor, "Social Religiosity" and for phobia and the religiosity factor "Unvengefulness" with shared genetic factors accounting for the observed correlation. For phobia and the religiosity factor "God as Judge", the correlation due to additive genetic factors was positive while that due to common environmental effects was negative. Analysis of a subset of religiosity items showed that for one religiosity factor, additive genetic effects increased over time while common environmental effects decreased. The results of the present study point to the complexity of the religiosity construct and suggest that various dimensions of religiosity are differentially related to various psychiatric disorders.

Thesis advisor: Donnah Canavan / This study examines the relationship between shyness/social phobia and other personality traits, as manifested in college students. Very few studies have compared shyness and social phobia, and even fewer have contrasted them. However, we believe that there are several important differences between the two. Mainly, one hypothesis is that social phobics long to be more extroverted and, thus, are more conflicted in many aspects of their personalities. Moreover, very few studies have found a conclusive link between shyness or social phobia and self-esteem. One of our main hypotheses is that there is a link between shyness/social phobia and low social self-esteem, although not necessarily overall self-esteem. We sought support for these hypotheses and others in the analysis of data obtained through a survey, composed of several standard questionnaires, as well as original material covering areas of self-image, behaviors, emotions, and personality traits. The results did indicate substantial differences between shyness and social phobia, with social phobics having higher levels of extraversion and, overall, more conflict within themselves. / Thesis (BA) — Boston College, 2006. / Submitted to: Boston College. College of Arts and Sciences. / Discipline: Psychology. / Discipline: College Honors Program.

Kognitiv beteendeterapi (KBT) avser att hjälpa personer med problembeteenden så att fokus ligger på nuet och framtiden, vilka mål som bör sättas upp så att en positiv förändring kan ske. KBT syftar till att människor ska kunna leva i samhället utan begränsning och med bättre livskvalitet. Denna kvalitativa studie visar hur KBT kan användas för social fobi och depressionsproblematik. Fem deltagare intervjuades, två psykiatrisjuksköterskor och tre psykologer. Alla arbetar utifrån KBT och studien visar deras upplevelser av metoden samt hur behandlingarna kan se ut. De evidensbaserade metoderna inom KBT, beteendeaktivering för deprimerade patienter och exponering för patienter med social fobi, är en del av det som behandlarna arbetar med och som de uttrycker ger en positiv effekt hos patienter.

Objective: The study compared how specific affect focuses in early stages of treatment predict outcome (SCL-90) for specific cluster C personality disorders. Method: The sample consisted of patients with cluster C personality disorders from a randomized controlled trial comparing 40-sessions of short-term dynamic psychotherapy and cognitive psychotherapy. Thirty-one patients had an avoidant personality disorder (AVPD), 17 patients had an obsessive compulsive personality disorder (OCPD) and 10 had a dependent personality disorder (DPD). The Global Severity Index (GSI) of the SCL-90 was used as the outcome measure and the Achievement of Therapeutic Objective Scale (ATOS) was used as a process measure to rate patients affects in an early session (session 1 and 6). Results: The results indicated that focus on closeness and anger predicted outcome for AVPD, focus on positive feelings for self predicted outcome for OCPD and focus on grief predicted outcome for DPD. Conclusion: Specific affect focuses in early stages of treatment is significant for various cluster C personality disorders to predict outcome.

A growing body of literature suggests that Virtual Reality is a successful tool for exposure therapy for anxiety disorders. Virtual Reality (VR) researchers posit the construct of presence, interpreting an artificial stimulus as if it were real, as the mechanism that enables anxiety to be felt during virtual reality exposure therapy (VRE). However, empirical studies on the relation between presence and anxiety in VRE have yielded mixed findings. The current study tested the following hypotheses 1) Presence is related to in session anxiety and treatment outcome; 2) Presence mediates the extent that pre-existing (pre-treatment) anxiety is experienced during exposure with VR; 3) Presence is positively related to the amount of phobic elements included within the virtual environment. Results supported presence as the mechanism by which anxiety is experienced in the virtual environment as well as a relation between presence and the phobic elements, but did not support a relation between presence and treatment outcome

Thesis (Ed.D.)--University of West Florida, 2007. / Title from title page of source document. Document formatted into pages; contains 237 pages. Includes bibliographical references.

The aim of this project is to establish whether video self-modelling is an effective approach in decreasing fear responses in children with ASD aged between five and 15 years. Participants were recruited through a flyer that was posted in the Autism New Zealand Canterbury newsletter and the Autism in New Zealand Facebook page. Three participants were recruited who were aged 11 to 12 years, who had a diagnosis of ASD and a fear. This study used a single-case, AB design replicated across the three participants. The participants met with the researcher to discuss their fear and what the study entailed. Baseline measures were obtained and videos were created to depict the child being in the same environment as their feared stimulus. Participants watched their videos for a two-week period then the baseline measures were repeated twice. Two out of the three participants showed some increase in steps achieved in their fear hierarchies. A similar pattern was found with the self-reported levels of fear, one participant showed a decrease in post intervention measure, the second showed variability and the third was not able to complete the intervention due to his extreme fear response. The results of this study reflect some of the literature, which suggest that while VSM can result in rapid learning, in some cases it may not work for all participants and individual differences can account for some of this variability. Due to the variation in the results and individual differences, it is difficult to determine the effects of this type of intervention for fears and phobias in children with ASD. Limitations on this study included the number of participants, as a larger number would have provided more data on the effects of VSM for different participants and the amount of time that was allocated to complete the study.

A growing body of literature suggests that Virtual Reality is a successful tool for exposure therapy for anxiety disorders. Virtual Reality (VR) researchers posit the construct of presence, interpreting an artificial stimulus as if it were real, as the mechanism that enables anxiety to be felt during virtual reality exposure therapy (VRE). However, empirical studies on the relation between presence and anxiety in VRE have yielded mixed findings. The current study tested the following hypotheses 1) Presence is related to in session anxiety and treatment outcome; 2) Presence mediates the extent that pre-existing (pre-treatment) anxiety is experienced during exposure with VR; 3) Presence is positively related to the amount of phobic elements included within the virtual environment. Results supported presence as the mechanism by which anxiety is experienced in the virtual environment as well as a relation between presence and the phobic elements, but did not support a relation between presence and treatment outcome