title: Exposure treatment in multiple contexts attenuates return of fear via renewal in high spider fearful individuals.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Research has demonstrated that after exposure treatment, re-exposure to a previously feared stimulus outside of the treatment context can result in renewal of fear. The current study investigated whether conducting exposure treatment in multiple real-life contexts can attenuate renewal of fear.
  
  
  METHODS
  Forty-six moderate to high spider fearful individuals were randomly allocated to groups that received exposure treatment in either one context or three contexts. Follow-up testing was conducted one week and four weeks after exposure in the treatment context or a novel context.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Renewal of fear was found for the single extinction context group when exposed to the feared object in a novel context with self-report of fear, heart rate, and behavioural avoidance. However, renewal of fear was attenuated for the multiple extinction context group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The sample included moderate to high spider fearful participants rather than clients with spider phobia, potentially limiting the generalisability of the findings to clinical populations.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Using multiple extinction contexts in combination with other methods of attenuating renewal (e.g., context similarity) may provide a means to reduce the risk of renewal of fear.
authors.affiliation: School of Applied Psychology, Griffith University, Australia; Behavioural Basis of Health Program, Griffith Health Institute, Australia. Electronic address: s.bandarianbalooch@griffith.edu.au.
authors.forename: Siavash
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bandarian-Balooch
authors.affiliation: School of Applied Psychology, Griffith University, Australia; Behavioural Basis of Health Program, Griffith Health Institute, Australia.
authors.forename: David L
authors.initials: DL
authors.lastname: Neumann
authors.affiliation: School of Applied Psychology, Griffith University, Australia; Behavioural Basis of Health Program, Griffith Health Institute, Australia.
authors.forename: Mark J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Boschen
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000818:Animals; D001362:Avoidance Learning; D003214:Conditioning, Classical; D005108:Extinction, Psychological / Q000502:physiology; D005239:Fear / Q000502:physiology / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006339:Heart Rate / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010698:Phobic Disorders / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*; D012008:Recurrence; D013112:Spiders; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Context; Exposure therapy; Extinction; Renewal; Return of fear