Testing an Imagery Rescripting Exercise Targeting Fear of Self

Abstract

A feared possible self refers to the unwanted characteristics that a person may possess or develop. We tested an experimental paradigm to target fear of possible self using imagery rescripting. A student sample (n= 91), with moderate obsessive–compulsive disorder symptoms, engaged in written and audio-guided exercises to evoke episodic future mental imagery that represented their feared possible self. Participants were then randomized between imagery rescripting or neutral imagery control tasks. The results revealed no difference between conditions in fear of self or general obsessional beliefs following the manipulation. State anxiety and the urge to neutralize the imagery reduced more in the control condition than in the rescripting condition. These findings suggest that the current paradigm is emotionally engaging but not effective at addressing fear of self as measured. Methodological improvements such as removing a written component of the rescripting task and idiosyncratic measuring of fear of self are proposed.