title: Psychotherapy Augmentation through Preconscious Priming.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To test the hypothesis that repeated preconscious (masked) priming of personalized positive cognitions could augment cognitive change and facilitate achievement of patients' goals following a therapy.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty social phobic patients (13 women) completed a 36-weeks study beginning by 12 weeks of group behavioral therapy. After the therapy, they received 6 weeks of preconscious priming and 6 weeks of a control procedure in a randomized cross-over design. The Priming condition involved listening twice daily with a passive attitude to a recording of individualized formulations of appropriate cognitions and attitudes masked by music. The Control condition involved listening to an indistinguishable recording where the formulations had been replaced by random numbers. Changes in social cognitions were measured by the Social Interaction Self Statements Test (SISST).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Patients improved following therapy. The Priming procedure was associated with increased positive cognitions and decreased negative cognitions on the SISST while the Control procedure was not. The Priming procedure induced more cognitive change when applied immediately after the group therapy.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  An effect of priming was observed on social phobia related cognitions in the expected direction. This self administered addition to a therapy could be seen as an augmentation strategy.
authors.affiliation: Fernand-Seguin Research Centre, Institut universitaire en santé mentale de Montréal Montreal, QC, Canada ; Department of Psychiatry, University of Montreal Montréal, QC, Canada ; University of Lausanne Lausanne, Switzerland.
authors.forename: François
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Borgeat
authors.forename: Kieron
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: O'Connor
authors.forename: Danielle
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Amado
authors.forename: Marie-Ève
authors.initials: MÈ
authors.lastname: St-Pierre-Delorme
keywords: cognitions; preconscious; priming; psychotherapy augmentation; social phobia