Tackling Fearful Avoidance using Counter-Conditioning: A Causal Test for the Role of Appetitive Motivation in Fearful Avoidance
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2018-07-01
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en
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Abstract
Anxiety disorders are prevalent in the population and are costly for society, while current treatment is
not optimal yet. A central symptom of anxiety is avoidance behaviour, with excessive avoidance being
related to poor clinical outcomes. Appetitive motivation could play a role in decreasing avoidance
behaviour by increasing positive valuation of the feared object. However, studies that causally test this
are lacking. This study used an approach-avoidance conflict paradigm with a training based on counterconditioning
in between tests to study the effects of appetitive motivation on avoidance and negative
valuation. One stimulus was followed by eating a cookie (CS+), and one was followed by nothing (CS-).
To investigate the mechanisms driving behaviour, the Post-Auricular Reflex was measured as reflective
of ‘liking’ and the Eye-blink startle as a defensive measure. Results showed that the CC-training was
effective in reducing the negative valuation and decreasing avoidance behaviour for the CS+. There was
no difference in the PAR and Eye-blink magnitudes of the CS-Types after the training. This study
showed the importance of appetitive motivation for avoidance behaviour, indicating that treatment could
benefit from focussing on increasing appetitive motivation to overcome avoidance.
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Faculteit der Sociale Wetenschappen