Despite its demonstrated effectiveness, exposure therapy – repeatedly approaching a fear/anxiety trigger – is not widely used in the treatment of anxiety disorders. This may be due to its image as an aversive (and even harmful) approach to treatment and its reduced rates of compliance among patients. However, if exposure therapy emphasized a positive quality, such as courage, it may be seen as less damaging, compliance may rise, and outcomes may improve. Following a proof-of-concept study in which a brief writing intervention promoted a “courageous mindset” and intentions of courageous behavior, the current work sought to demonstrate if an intervention to increase courage could increase behavioral proclivity and consequent courageous behavior. When partialing experienced fear, those that underwent a courage condition demonstrated significantly more approach behavior in an exposure analogue. Additionally, several outcomes, including approach behavior, perceptions of one’s own courage, and willingness to engage in future exposure therapy showed small to moderate (though nonsignificant) effects. However, there were no observable effects of the courage intervention for other outcomes, including behavioral proclivity, feelings of fear and self-efficacy, and perceptions of the exposure task. Future studies will aim to strengthen the intervention and the study design to provide more robust support for a courage intervention.

Creator

• Eix, Amanda Kramer

DOI

• https://doi.org/10.21985/n2-p2z1-8b32

Subject

• Clinical psychology

Language

• en

Alternate Identifier

• http://dissertations.umi.com/northwestern:15630
• etdadmin_upload_831017

Keyword

• therapy
• courage
• anxiety
• exposure
• fear

Date created

• 2021-01-01

Resource type

• Dissertation

Rights statement

• In Copyright