A therapy that “rewrites” childhood memories can ease fear of failure
Childhood criticism can leave people carrying a fear of failure long into adulthood, but new research suggests those emotional patterns may be surprisingly flexible. Young adults who revisited painful memories through imagery-based therapy showed lasting reductions in fear, guilt, sadness, and stress.
A study conducted by researchers at SWPS University and the Nencki Institute of Experimental Biology suggests that certain imagery-based psychotherapy techniques may help alleviate the fear of failure stemming from childhood experiences. The research, published in Frontiers in Psychology, involved 180 young adults aged 18 to 35 who exhibited fear of failure.
The participants underwent four therapy sessions over two weeks, focusing on memories of criticism experienced during childhood. Two groups received distinct forms of imagery-based therapy: Imagery Exposure (IE) and Imagery Rescripting (ImRs). The third group underwent a delay procedure (ImRs-DSR) to potentially enhance the intervention's effectiveness.
All three methods led to a significant and enduring reduction in fear of failure, as well as diminished negative emotions like sadness and guilt. Physiological reactions to memories of criticism also diminished, indicating that the distressing experiences no longer triggered intense stress. The findings imply that it is possible to lessen the intensity of negative emotions and arousal linked to childhood criticism memories, making them less burdensome over time.
Study co-author Julia Bączek noted that properly selected techniques can change how these memories are experienced, reducing their emotional impact.
Written by urgent.news from ScienceDaily Health's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
